As a U.S. Marine I was frequently invited to the Canadian Legion to share quality Canadian beer and listen to veterans' stories of WW2. One in particular stands out.
The people of Ermelo, Netherlands liberated by Canadians, “B” Squadron of the Strathcona's on April 17th 1945.
Many Dutch citizens hid downed allied pilots and created an underground transportation system to reunite the fliers with their unit.
The Nazis terrorized villages for years, raping, killing at will, starving many to death.
The veterans with whom I had the honor and privilege to become friends, remembered the atrocities they encountered. Many were in units which liberated death camp survivors.
Teaching World History to teenagers, many disbelieved that one group of human beings could inflict such heinousness on others. Then they viewed the footage taken by the liberating Canadians, British and Americans.
Wearing a poppy today isn't enough, we must educate while honoring those who sacrificed the ultimate, their lives to free Europe from Nazi control.
A contractor who did our renovations shared many stories around morning coffee about his Dutch town being under Nazi control and how days would go by when they didn't have food. His parents hid British pilots on several occasions and helped the officers navigate the underground system back to Britain. He remembers fondly the day the Canadians liberated them forcing the Germans back. It was so emotional for him that tears weld in his eyes and he often said he thought he would die.