3 minute read
Honouring an Iconic, Historical Event
Honouring an Iconic, Historical Event
Rosanne Fortier - News Correspondent
D-Day was one of the pivotal battles in World War II. To remember the 80th Anniversary of this occasion, RCL Branch No. 39 presented a ceremony at Vegreville Cenotaph on June 5, one day before the official day on June 6.
Comrade Diane Lydom was the emcee where she welcomed everyone.
President Terry Kuzyk said they don’t normally observe an individual battle. “But the significance and scope of the D-Day operation was of such magnitude and its effect on the outcome of World War II was enormous.
Planning for this invasion had been going on for almost a year and required equipment and personnel that were trained for this specific task; a stretch of France almost 80 kilometers long was assaulted by troops from Canada, Britain, and the United States; about 150,000 in all.
While it is easy to think of the landing as being an army event, it was truly a tri-service effort. In addition to the nearly 15,000 Canadian troops who stormed ashore that morning, there were 39 squadrons of RCAF aircraft; bombers, and fighters with hundreds of crew members in the air plus some transporting paratroops.
And equally important 110 warships of the Royal Canadian Navy plus dozens more landing craft carrying the troops, guns, tanks, jeeps, and other equipment.
One of the warships that day was our own, HMCS Vegreville, participating as part of the fourteenth flotilla and busy at work sweeping mines ahead of the landing. Eighty years ago, right now she would have been sailing in the dark off Normandy’s coast clearing the sea.
At the end of that first day Canadians had pushed further inland than any others, almost 11 kilometers.
Success came with a price though; there were nearly 1100 Canadian casualties that day, over 380 fatal;
it was the breakthrough needed to complete the Pincer movement to push the Germans back to their country and ultimately surrender to end the war.
While we are especially commemorating D-Day here; I must acknowledge the successes of Canadian troops in Italy at that time, especially the four Alberta Regiments there. Their battles had been going on for almost a year and only two days earlier had taken part in the capture of Rome.”
Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk, Honourable MLA for Fort Saskatchewan/Vegreville and Parliamentary Secretary for Settlement Services and Ukrainian Evacuees, Jerrold Lemko, Councillor for Vegreville on behalf of Mayor Tim MacPhee, Roger Konieczny, Reeve for County of Minburn all bought greetings which acknowledged the efforts and sacrifices of all the brave men and women who changed the history of the Second World War.
Representing Serving Members was Commander Leslie Yewer-Stacy, Commanding Officer for HMCS Nonsuch’s address echoed the sentiments of these dignitaries while she mentioned that our serving personnel continue to fight against tyranny and continue to fight to uphold our values.
Afterward, attendees went to the RCL Branch No. 39 Hall to enjoy snacks, fellowship, and a sing-along music performance by Diane Lydom and Emily Kuly where they sang songs from World War II.
