D-Day message preserved

Times Contributor    

 

You are 20 years old, tucked deep in a troop ship, shoulder-to-shoulder with fellow soldiers headed for one of five separate landing sites on the beaches of Normandy, France. The seas are rocking below you and through the night planes roar overhead, amidst enemy shelling. You’ve trained, been briefed and given your orders, but fears of what lies in the dark unknown sits low in your belly. It is your mission to push through the waters on Juno beach and secure footholds farther inland. The beaches are mined and booby trapped and German artillery awaits your landing.

This is not a premise for a video game…this was the reality for 14,000 WWII Canadian soldiers on June 6, 1944. 

George Freeman, age 90, is one of the few soldiers left alive, whose foot touched Juno beach that day in Normandy.

“Tonight we honour George Freeman, who is the only surviving member in our Legion to serve in D-Day,” said Bruce Westgard, past president of the Strathmore Royal Canadian Legion #10. “This award is presented to George Freeman on the 70th anniversary of D-Day, June 6, 1944. It is to honour your unselfish dedication in service on behalf of all Canadians.”

President Gary Horne was not able to attend the presentation but personally made his apologies to Freeman on his arrival to the evening celebration.

In WWII, Freeman served in the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery and he was tasked with the technically challenging job of charting maps for placement of heavy artillery and establishing their munition trajectories. Bombardment from both German and allied weapons destroyed many of the surrounding towns and villages; it was a cost of war. Freeman said he had revisited France several times for official celebrations and he was glad to see areas rebuilt. Restoration is valued by Freeman, whose career once back in Canada was working with Ducks Unlimited, restoring native wildfowl habitat.

Freeman has appeared in many local Remembrance Day ceremonies over the years, laid wreaths and delivered the message of the cost of war and the rewards of peace to younger generations. Although there were many lives lost, Freeman said the soldiers’ sacrifice did make a difference. The D-Day assault is said to have been instrumental in ending the war.

His wife Helena, son Larry and Larry’s wife Debbie were present for the presentation. 

Larry said he shared a special visit to France with his father in 1964, one of several that the two have made overseas together. He said it was before the development of the Juno Beach Centre and other museums. They walked the path of Freeman’s wartime journey. They found the evidence of where he dug into the beach on D-Day and other remnants and reminders leading into the interior of French communities. Larry said that his father still remembered the minute details of the paths taken.

Larry said the French always welcomed the veterans and they passed the knowledge of wartime struggles for freedom, down to their children. All the graves of fallen soldiers were still tended meticulously. 

Larry said he is proud of his father’s contribution to peace and the award he received from his hometown Legion, 70 years after D-Day. When asked if he would consider spreading the stories Freeman had taught him of peace and freedom to younger generations, when a time came that his father couldn’t, he replied,

“Absolutely.”