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VE Day!
By Maurice Ali, Journalist
Victory In Europe Day! Sixty years after that day was the annual march by the veterans of that war. Not our usual protest march, but a march that made those protest marches possible!
The event was held at the Canadian National Exhibition grounds, the vets and soldiers marching from a historic landmark called Fort York.
While I was awaiting the march, I came upon three people at a park bench. The first was a real live veteran of WW2 by the name of Norman Waddingham. This man had toured all through out Europe and many metals testify to his extensive campaign. I should not that he lost one of his legs, but not during the war.
The second of the group was a lady that built the Lancaster bomber near toronto in a town called Milton. She told me that she worked as a riveter and would sometimes work 12 hours a day.
The third man was originally a five year old kid in Holland who witnesses their liberation from the Nazis by Canada. He was their to show Norman the thanks the Hollanders have for the Canadians on this day.
Here is a posed picture of the two men.
Some walked , but at their age, some had to be wheeled in a chair by relatives. They are truly a dieing breed.....
Here is an interesting picture. These are the dead soldiers marching after death through relatives pushing empty wheelchairs!
Finally; here are the modern day soldier bringing up the rear. There was still a substantial number of vets at the march. But this will soon be a thing of the past in a few years. We should continue to mark these day and realize that freedoms sometimes carry a price. |
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