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Old 06-06-2020, 02:09 PM
HVA7mm HVA7mm is offline
 
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Default 76th Anniversary of D-Day

Today (June 6th) marks the 76th anniversary of the D-Day landings on the beaches of Normandy and Banff-Airdrie MP Blake Richards believes it's a day for all Canadians to remember the incredible sacrifices of Canadian soldiers on that day and throughout history.

Richards has issued a statement marking the occasion when on June 6th, 1944 Allied forces launched the long-awaited strike against the Nazis in France, fighting their way ashore under heavy fire to secure the beach in Europe.

His statement reads:

"14,000 brave Canadians landed at Juno Beach early that morning. Many of the Canadian soldiers had no battle experience and were met with resistance from the war-hardened Germans. By the end of the day, the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division and the 2nd Canadian Armoured Bridge had advanced further than any other Allied force. Sadly, 359 Canadian soldiers perished in this battle for freedom.

Over the next month and a half, Allied soldiers fought the Battle of Normandy, helping reduce Germany's fighting force by 400,000 soldiers, destroying hundreds of enemy tanks, and drawing troops away from the Eastern front.

The courage and success of Canada’s soldiers on D-Day will forever be a source of pride for generations of Canadians to come.

Canada’s role in the defeat of Nazi tyranny in Europe is something Canadians should admire. We are grateful for the sacrifice made by so many Canadian soldiers - these warriors fought with great distinction alongside our Allies against Hitler’s brutal regime.

This anniversary is a reminder of Canada’s storied military past, and of the sacrifices our armed forces have made to secure peace, freedom, and justice around the world. On D-Day, Canadians proudly reflect on these traits that define our military.

It has been 76 years since D-day. To this day, Canadian flags still fly proudly on the soil liberated by these young men. On this solemn anniversary, may we continue to keep the faith with those who came before us; may we dutifully pass the torch to those who follow; and may we always fly the Canadian flag with pride.

Lest We Forget.”
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Old 06-06-2020, 02:40 PM
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god bless'em….
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Old 06-06-2020, 02:49 PM
stuckincity stuckincity is offline
 
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When my kids were in elementary school, way back when and supposedly "studying Canadian history" I was appalled that they didn't know what D-Day was! It was never taught, believe it or not.

I told them it was only the greatest invasion in known history!

I had to sit them down and explain to them about good ol' Dolphie and his antics; and how it wasn't just Canadians who gave their lives, but also British and Americans, and why they did it.

It really peed me off that they weren't taught about that tyrant and the Holocaust, and how he started a war, and treated people in occupied countries.

I got pretty "graphic" in my explanations (which my wife hated) but they learned something, and understood why D-Day was necessary.

So much for modern education! When I had to do it!
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Old 06-06-2020, 02:57 PM
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Instead they focus on a druggie/criminal who was killed by an idiot cop
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Old 06-06-2020, 02:58 PM
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D-Day or more precisely Operation Overlord, was indeed a significant happening during WW11.

My Dad missed Operation Overlord, because he was by June 6th involved in the tail end of Operation Diadem while based with the 1st Canadian Division in Italy.

Better known as the breaking of the Gustav Line.

He truly was a “D-Day Dodger.”

https://youtu.be/O4hny_XRaw4

Lest We Forget.
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Old 06-06-2020, 03:05 PM
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One of my uncles (Mom’s brother) Ora Hall from Provost, landed on Juno beach on D Day with the 1st Canadian Scottish. He was a Sgt. with a mortar crew. According to the War Diary for his unit (all are available from the National Archives), they saw action more or less continually for more than sixty days. I still have a number of letters he wrote to my Mom, none of which mentioned combat but some mentioned the appreciation shown in some French towns as they swept through as liberators. The last letter he wrote was dated just days before he was fatally wounded on the heights overlooking Calais on the “first approach”.
The War Diary and a letter from one of his friends with him at the time tells how they were riding in an open box troop carrier when an air burst artillery shell exploded in some trees above...and he took shrapnel in the top of his head. Despite a letter from the unit padre’ saying that he was in “good spirits” in hospital, his buddy said he never regained consciousness and died two days later. He was buried at the time, then relocated after the war to a CDN Cemetary near the village where he was wounded.
The war diary for the CDN Scottish gives a day-to-day account of the units actions...probably recorded by someone like MASH’s Radar O’Reilly ... One account talks about a Can Scott getting caught up a tree fetching an apple as a Panzer roared through without noticing him. Or another when in the smoke/confusion of battle, a Can Scott tried to get the attention of some tankers by pounding on the side of turret before seeing the cross insignia. Fortunately, they paid him no attention. On the morning Ora was hit, mention is made of the shelling and that a “couple of the lads ‘had it’ “. One of Ora’s mates told my mom that Ora took positions the devil would fear to direct fire. I was able to visit his grave in the late nineties.
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Old 06-06-2020, 03:12 PM
35 whelen 35 whelen is offline
 
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I've been thinking about D-Day all day actually, its a shame they never taught us that in school either, too many people don't think about it or even know about it,

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Old 06-06-2020, 03:19 PM
IronNoggin IronNoggin is offline
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Old 06-06-2020, 03:22 PM
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Although my grandfather landed with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles on D day, I agree with the above post reminding us about Italy. That front was an absolute nightmare for Canadian soldiers. (check out the book "Not All Of Us Were Brave" among many others like "Ortona")

I've never looked at D Day as a tribute to only those soldiers, but to all allied soldiers who fought in Europe WWII.

I'm grateful for all who fought for the side of good in that war.

Life here in North America was pretty darn good for a long time thanks to all those boys.
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Old 06-06-2020, 03:26 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by happy honker View Post
Although my grandfather landed with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles on D day, I agree with the above post reminding us about Italy.

I've never looked at D Day as a tribute to only those soldiers, but to all allied soldiers who fought in Europe WWII.

I'm grateful for all who fought for the side of good in that war.
Well put!
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Old 06-06-2020, 03:39 PM
stuckincity stuckincity is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by happy honker View Post
Although my grandfather landed with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles on D day, I agree with the above post reminding us about Italy.
Your grandpa must have been one tough nut to survive all that.
He has my admiration even though I never knew him.
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Old 06-06-2020, 04:02 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dick284 View Post
D-Day or more precisely Operation Overlord, was indeed a significant happening during WW11.

My Dad missed Operation Overlord, because he was by June 6th involved in the tail end of Operation Diadem while based with the 1st Canadian Division in Italy.

Better known as the breaking of the Hitler Line.

He truly was a “D-Day Dodger.”

https://youtu.be/O4hny_XRaw4

Lest We Forget.
Correct my screw up.
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Old 06-06-2020, 06:01 PM
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My Grandpa and one brother also 'missed' D-Day due to already being in combat in Italy; Grandpa was a radioman in a tank & one of his brothers was in the First Special Service Force clearing Nazi's out of mountain strongholds to let his brother and everyone else through to free Rome; sadly, they both passed many years ago. Their third brother was a telegrapher who would be locked in rooms under guard to perform high level comm's and encryption, he just passed away this past January at the age of 94. He'd tell a story of when he was informed that the Germans broke a code they were using and he had a time frame of something like 10 hours to learn the new code, which was quite elaborate. Being late to the war due to his youth, he was also there for the post-war mop-up and war crimes trials. He mentioned how there was a firing squad kept rather busy just adjacent his office.

RIP Uncle Wally:
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Old 06-06-2020, 07:58 PM
260 Rem 260 Rem is offline
 
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For those interested, check out www.project44.ca. It has lots of info on the progression of troop movements and many of the War Diaries. Once again, I was able to the progress of the Can Scott’s which gave a good account of what happened on the morning of Sept 6th when they were subject to heavy shelling at which time it mentions a couple of lads “had it”, one of which was my uncle Ora.
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Old 06-06-2020, 08:03 PM
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If any of you ever travel to Europe I highly suggest visiting some of the Canadian cemeteries. I visited 1 in Holland and it was very moving to be there. So many young men that died without their names even being known. It can really put perspective in ones life.
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Old 06-06-2020, 08:43 PM
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My Dad was there, not something that he would ever really talk about, those were tough boy's and they carried the scars for life both physical and mental, he passed away 16 days after his 92nd birthday.

He was injured on March 20 -1945 and spent the last weeks of the war in an infirmary in France. I have a copy of the letter that was sent to my Grandmother by the department of records advising her of his injury.

Remeberance day always was and still is a big day around our family.
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Old 06-06-2020, 09:58 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Glion View Post
If any of you ever travel to Europe I highly suggest visiting some of the Canadian cemeteries. I visited 1 in Holland and it was very moving to be there. So many young men that died without their names even being known. It can really put perspective in ones life.
One of my boys was stationed in Germany in the late 90’s flying for NATO so we made a trip during which we traced the route taken by my fathers Coy from Normandy to northern Germany. We visited several CDN war cemeteries In France and Holland to pay respects. The cemeteries in Holland are immaculately kept by locals and students ... still appreciative of the Canadians that volunteered to liberate them ... never to return home.
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Old 06-06-2020, 10:05 PM
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Default Gilbert Boxall

In 1964 in a CBC program I saw, Canadian Sergeant Alf Allen told about one of the dead at Beny-sur-Mer, a Regina Rifles stretcher-bearer named Gilbert Boxall:

"He came from Canwood in northern Saskatchewan, grew up in the Depression and had very little of this world's goods. He'd never have had been the stick man in a British Guards parade but as a dedicated working man there was none better. He landed in the assault wave, gave first aid on the beach and in the battle inland. On D-plus 3, running to a chap he heard calling for help, he was cut down and killed. On his body we latter found five dried shell dressings - he'd had five wounds prior to being killed. He never said a word to anybody, just crawled away somewhere, put a dressing on and went back in."

Every D-Day since then Gilbert Boxall has been in my thoughts. In 2005 when my 2 oldest sons went to Europe, I had them drop by for a visit.

Gilbert Donald Boxall
Regina Rifles
L27355
Died June 9, 1944 age 24
Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, France
Plot: IV. E. 14.
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