75th Anniversary of Victory in Europe Day Memorialized

75th Anniversary of Victory in Europe Day Memorialized

Michelle Pinon News Advertiser

May 8, 2020, was the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day which marked the official end of the Second World War in Europe.

Terry Kuzyk, President of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 39 in Vegreville, said it brought to an end almost six years of fighting on land, on sea, and in the air.

“As a country of less than 12 million people, Canada contributed almost 1.1 million uniformed soldiers, sailors and airmen to the cause of victory. It came at the cost of over 45,000 killed and 55,000 wounded. Today with less than 40,000 of that 1.1 million left, it is likely to be the last significant milestone anniversary of that war which we can celebrate with our veterans. Their service and sacrifice made a substantial mark on the character of Canada and the results of their service are still evident today. The Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 39 salutes all of our remaining local veterans and thanks the families of all veterans for the service to Canada that was made during those years of war,” stated Kuzyk.

One of those local veterans is Ellwood Hill. The 98-year-old, who currently resides at the Mary Immaculate Care Centre in Mundare, shared some of his wartime memories.

Ellwood served from 1941-1945 with the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps in the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division and 23rd Field Ambulance. He was one of thousands of allied troops who took part in the June 6, 1944,

D-Day invasion of Normandy on the coast of France.

Ellwood poses for a photo with his daughter Grace and his son Don during Remebrance Day in Vermilion on Nov. 11, 2019. (Family of Ellwood Hill/Submitted)

He served from 1941-1945 in the countries of France, Holland, Belgium and Germany. Ellwood received several commendations for his service, including a Voluntary Service Medal, the German Star, the Defense Medal, and he was “Knighted” to the French Lion of Honour, which is the highest French Order of Merit.

As a medic, he saw much suffering, the dead and the dying, and did what he could to assist soldiers and civilians alike. He vividly recalled holding a man’s mangled arm while a doctor sawed it off, and then had to saw it off again, even shorter. Working behind the frontlines, he was often close to bombs, artillery fire and small weapons. The Dutch people were starving to the point of eating tulips to survive. Ellwood on occasion shared his ration with children of the civilian casualties.

Personally, he had many moments and times when he was “afraid and feared for his own survival,” but said his faith had bolstered him through those times. When he returned to Canada, he returned to his childhood home near Vermilion. Ellwood was raised on a farm 10 miles south of the community by Frank and Caroline Hill, along with two older brothers, (Mahan and Wendell) and two younger sisters, (Tunny and Velma).

There he found his calling as a pastor. In 1948 he married his one true love, Doris. They forged a life together and remained together for 71 years before Doris passed away on February 4, 2020. They have three children, Grace and Don Hill, and Caroline Maze. Because of his vocation, they moved to several different communities over the years including Longview, Wainwright, Innisfail and Whitehorse, Yukon. After he inherited a quarter section of land on the family farm, he and Doris stayed there until they were in their early ‘80’s. Then they moved to a seniors residence in Vegreville.

Ellwood said his greatest accomplishments are the many people he served as a pastor and how he helped them on their spiritual journey.

Some of the families of friends they had in Holland had funded several trips where they attended celebrations of the liberation of the Netherlands where he served most of his time during the war. Up until two years ago, Ellwood would march in the Remembrance Day parade in Vermilion. Today, he remains in good health. If there’s one thing he would say to fellow Canadians: “Don’t go to war!”

According to Veterans Affairs Canada, as of March 2019, the estimated war service Veteran population of the Second World War was 33,200 with an average age of 95.