June 6, 2024 – 80th Anniversary of D-Day
Royal Canadian Legion Burlington Branch 60 Remembers
In modern history there have been many major events that shaped our world. Most people that study history agree that the event that had the most impact occurred on June 6, 1944. On that day the combined forces of Britain, Canada and the United States landed on the coast of Normandy.
The failure of such a landing was almost too horrific to imagine. The Nazi regime had taken control of Europe and continued a rule of law based on racism - the proof of which became most evident as the allies moved east and uncovered atrocities on a grand scale thought impossible in the modern world.
To have lost this war to Nazi Germany would have changed the civilized world to an evil one quickly. Millions of free men, women and children, plus the lives of future generations, were on the line. Most of these service men and women volunteered. Some gave all. All gave some. This is why we thank them.
Rather than talk about statistics and battles, it is important to remember that the people that gave us freedom were no different than you and I. On this, the 80th anniversary of D-Day, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 60 Burlington would like to highlight two of these Canadians and give you a picture of Canada in the 1940’s.
Gordon Schottlander, now 99 years old, and Jim Warford (deceased in 2020 in his 98th year) shared their stories in recent interviews.
Schottlander was a commissioned officer in the British Army and was only 18 years old when he and the Royal Berkshire Regiment landed on Juno Beach on June 6, 1944. After the war, he moved to Burlington with his wife, Colleen, where they raised their family.
Here, Gordon is interviewed on CHCH-TV on Remembrance Day 2022:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhKz8zS-3Sc
Jim Warford was in the Canadian Army during World War Two. Born in England in 1922, Jim grew up in Hamilton, Ontario, against the backdrop of the Great Depression, attending school and very active in sports. Jim joined the Canadian Service Corps, where he became a sergeant in charge of the ammunition convoys that kept the troops on the front lines supplied. He went overseas in 1943, and spent time in England before being sent across the English Channel a few days after D-Day. Once in France, Jim was active in the Battle for Normandy, and he followed the front line troops into Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany itself. With VE Day, members of the Canadian Service Corps stayed in the Netherlands for a time, feeding the starving population and keeping the Army of Occupation supplied. Jim went home in 1946, reconnecting with his wife of one week, and settling in Hamilton, where they settled into the rhythm of civilian life and did their part in postwar Canada. Jim was interviewed by Scott Masters at his home in 2018. The following links are highlights of that interview.
1. Introduction; Growing up during the Great Depression
2. Thoughts of War; Joining up and Training
3. Going Overseas; Arrival and Time in England
4. Crossing the Channel; Caen and Falaise
6. Going Home; Readjustment and Looking Back
For more information, please contact Bob Ankrett, City Liaison & Museum Curator, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 60 at (905) 333-9473 or ankrett1@sympatico.ca .
On June 6th, 2024, Branch 60 members will join their comrades from the Burl-Oak Naval Veterans association in remembering those who served on D-Day in 1944. A parade and ceremony will be held at The Royal Canadian Naval Ships Memorial Monument in Spencer Smith Park at 11 a.m.
For more information on the event, please contact Parade Commander Mike Vencel at (289) 259-2117.