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On January 2014, Canadian veterans and more than 1,000 Canadian students joined the Prime
Minister and Mrs. Harper in Normandy to mark the 70th anniversary of D-Day. 24/SEVEN invited
some of the veterans and students to document their experience with smart phones. This is
their story.
Scott Tulloch, age 17:
Well we're here today on Juno Beach at the memorial center to commemorate the 70th anniversary
of the D-Day invasion. We're really here to celebrate the sacrifices of the veterans and,
even more so, those who lost their lives on this invasion on this day 70th years ago.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper:
To truly understand how great the Canadian achievement was a lifetime ago, we should
remember the obstacles our troops faced.
Poor weather had rendered ineffective the elaborate, pre-invasion naval and air bombardment
intended to subdue the Nazi defences.
So, instead of landing amid smoking ruins and dazed defenders, the soldiers had no choice
but to charge well-fortified guns and their fully alerted crews through the smoke, through
the minefields, through the barbed wire, through the obstacles on the beaches, always under
accurate and deafening mortar fire, and into the teeth of machine guns; the same kind of
machine guns that had caused the slaughter of their father's generation, during the First
World War.
Only having run this deadly gauntlet could the survivors destroy the enemy strong points,
and even then, only through savage hand-to-hand combat against some of the toughest soldiers
in the world.
That is how they took this beach.
And here are some of the men who took it.
William Gunter, Veteran:
At 9am we landed on Juno Beach at Bernières-sur-Mer. Approaching the beach the first thing I saw
was a lot of our assault landing craft in various stages of disarray and my first thought
of course is "What's happened to all my friends?" and we unloaded our troops and we weren't
expected to get off the beach because we went in full speed over particular part of the
terrain and we did manage to get off, but we lost all our power, all our steering, and
our motion power and our (inaudible) and our engine room are all underwater.
Alan Canavan, Veteran:
In 1944, I was 23. We knew what we were fighting for. We didn't think much of Mr. Hitler. We
didn't like the way he was operating and we knew if that we didn't beat him at his game,
we might have all ended up speaking German and I don't think we were ready for that.
We were quite willing to do our part and you had to really work hard at it, but it paid
off.
Daryl LaFlamme, age 15:
When I walked on the beach it was very emotional because I could almost picture everything
happening and just trying to imagine yourself in their shoes and how they felt and how,
like, why they were there, and doing what they were doing.
Beth Baker, age 16:
I got extremely emotional because it sunk in that that so many men have given their
lives and we've been to several cemeteries, and the amount of graves that we've seen is
just such a hard thing to wrap my head around, but today it really sunk in and it made me
extremely emotional.
Charles Davis, Veteran:
It brings back a lot of memories. I was here for the 45th anniversary and the 50th. This
will be the last of course, so it's a little bit choking.
Mrs. Laureen Harper:
Now students if there is one thing you should take away from our time in France, let it
be this: it is good and it is right that you are here. For the precious freedom that you
enjoy today as Canadians was hard earned by those veterans sitting amongst you today.
So cherish it, listen to, and absorb their amazing stories and when you return to Canada,
to your school and to your home, tell your friends, your parents, and your siblings what
you learned during your time in France. Tell them that you had the privilege of meeting
some of the soldiers who helped to reclaim the continent, some of the soldiers who stood
on guard for Canada. Tell them how warmly our red and white flag was welcomed here in
France. Tell them that our maple leaf is still a symbol of hope and liberation. Spare no
opportunity to speak of Canada's reputation abroad, a reputation that was established
because thousands upon thousands of Canadians were willing to die so that millions at home
and around the world might know freedom and peace.
Bud Weeks and John Commerford, Veterans:
Bud Weeks :
I'm Bud Weeks, Headquarters Squadron 4th Canadian armoured Brigade, Thanks...and you?
John Commerford:
I"m 8th factory 2nd heavy anti-aircraft and field artillery after that
Bud Weeks:
Good boy, good boy. You were with the big stuff.
John Commerford:
Yeah, We had the answer to the German 88mm
Bud Weeks:
Oh yeah, yeah. We got the taste of those 88. They go in one side of a Sherman and out the
other side.
(laughter)
Bud Weeks:
75 (inaudible)
John Commerford:
Anyway, I"m amazed at the large number of people here, you know? This is unbelievable.
Bud Weeks:
It's pretty big alright. It's the biggest one in 70 years since, I guess. .
John Commerford:
How it could be 70 years when I'm not even 9 years old.
Bud Weeks:
I don't know, you were just a kid.
Scott Tulloch, age 17:
Honestly kind of scary to think that someone that's pretty much my age that would make
that decision to take their life and decide to give it to their country and sacrifice
it for freedom, and for the freedom for, you know, a continent they've never been to before.
It's really amazing for me. To think someone my age could make that kind of decision.
John Commerford and unidentified man:
Unidentified:
I was barely born
John Commerford:
You were just a young fellow
Unidentified: (inaudible):
I know I look older. We look like buddies, but (inaudible)
Camera person:
He's still wearing diapers alright
John Commerford:
You know what I tell people? You know why I'm here?
Unidentified:
No.
John Commerford:
I've grown to be very old.
(laughter)
John Commerford:
They treat all the old people like heroes.
Camera person:
You are a hero!
Unidentified:
You somehow survived
John Commerford:
Yeah
Unidentified:
What do you drink?
John Commerford:
Calvados!
(laughter)
John Commerford:
Tell you the good things and tell you one incident in Normandy. I was on century duty
at our gun position, I was a gunner. I had no rank by the way, so I didn't know where
we were or what we were doing. So I just did what I was told at the moment, but this French
farmer came from behind our lines. And he couldn't speak a word of English, I got grade
10 French and I got a little booklet too, but I didn't use it, that they gave us when
we left you know, right before we landed. And he, I understood enough that he invited
me back home to his farm. And I got permission right away and he came the next day, which
was a Sunday evening, and he came and got me and we walked back it was about 3 or 4
miles behind our gun position and during the evening, in good French fashion, he talked,
drink, eat. Talk, drink, eat, talk, drink, eat. And he did all the talking. I could tell
by his face (inaudible) what I should say. And if I thought I should say "oui" I'd said
"oui" and if I thought I should say "non" I'd say "non". I couldn't understand a word,
but I could tell by his face if I was wrong and I'd change it. Had a great conversation
I guess...Oh, we drank calvados, calvados is Normandy liquor. I wasn't much of a drinker,
but, anyway. He served calvados all evening as well as talked and food. After my "oui"
and "non" and "oui" and "non" and "oui" and "non" you know what he said? "Vous parlez
bien le francais!" (laughter)
Scott Tulloch, age 17:
It's really an honour to, you know; represent my school, my city, and even more my country.
I have the Canada flag on my back, and walking though the streets of this beautiful city,
this beautiful town of Normandy just the area, even Europe itself. And have people recognize
us and say "You're from Canada I recognize the Canada flag" and, you know, they know
that the sacrifice Canadians made all those years ago and they won't forget ever.
Hubert Delalande, Mayor of Bény-sur-Mer:
And so the first Canadian military cemetery, where soldiers were first buried, is in Courseulles-sur-Mer.
The sector was known as Pommeret. You will see it as you head for Courseulles-sur-Mer.
It is on the outskirts of the village, on the right-hand side.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper:
To our Veterans who are here today: Gentlemen, you have travelled a long way to be close
once more to fallen comrades. What you did here will never be forgotten. And I know I
speak for all Canadians when I say sincerely and heartfelt the only thing I can say for
this and for the seventy years of peace that have followed, "thank you." To the young people
here today, I say this: D'ici peu de temps, le devoir de mémoire appartiendra à votre
génération, et seulement à la vôtre. Remember, that in not so many years, the duty of remembrance
will belong to your generation, and yours alone. Do not forget.
Nicholas Anagnostopoulos, age 16:
I'm here to remember we all come and we all were told the stories of what the Canadians
did on this beach and I think it is important for us to come and commemorate what the Canadians
did for us. Because if we forget then where's our heritage? Where's our...What was the point
of us coming to fight if we can forget?
John Commerford:
We are living in a country now where we are blessed by freedom, good government and peace.
And we're getting along with our, with all the countries, including Germany. A matter
of fact when I came back from Germany I didn't think too much of the Germans at the time,
by the way, I, you know what I did? I married a girl of German background. Best thing I
ever did.
Scott Tulloch, age 17:
They were fighting for the freedom of other people. Not democracy itself but, just the
idea of equality, really, that's what it means to me at least.
John Commerford and British individuals:
But, Jim went back to Germany where I had been at one point after the war. He was there
as a little boy, I was there in the army. And you know what? There was an Irish couple
there in this gas house. And the German woman who had looked after the police. You know
what Jim said to the group, all three of them? My mother's background is German, lots of
brains, not much of a sense of humour. Father's background is Irish. A good sense of humour,
but not much brains. He said "you know what happened to me?" "I got the worst of all possible
worlds. I got my father's brains and my mother's sense of humour" The Irish couple thought
that was funny and they broke out laughing. But the German woman proved his point, you
know what she did? She said "What's funny about that?"
Daryl LaFlamme, age 15:
There's so much that these men did for us and I don't think we could ever ignore it.
I think everyone; everywhere should remember these incredible men.