CANADA REMEMBERS TIMES Veterans’ Week Special Edition – 5-11 November 2020 REMEMBERING THE NETHERLANDS V-E Day V-J DAY AND at last! FREEDOM The Second World War was the Some 10,000 Canadians served in Asia bloodiest conflict in human history. during the Second World War. This It began in September 1939 and the included almost 2,000 soldiers from fighting in Europe would rage until Manitoba’s Winnipeg Grenadiers and May 1945. Canada joined many other Quebec’s Royal Rifles of Canada who countries to form the Allied powers were sent across the Pacific Ocean in which fought to restore peace and the fall of 1941 to help defend the British freedom to the continent. colony of Hong Kong. Our soldiers, sailors and aviators The Japanese invaded Hong Kong on Image: Library PA-136176 Canada Image: and Archives played an important role in helping 8 December 1941. Badly outnumbered, Dutch residents welcome Canadian soldiers after the liberation of the town of Zwolle on 14 April 1945. achieve victory. As the war neared the defenders fought bravely before its end, Canadian troops took part being forced to surrender on Christmas The Liberation of the Netherlands Robert Greene recalled of the liberation of in the bitter campaign in Northwest Day. Approximately 290 Canadians were during the Second World War was the town of Emmelo: Europe in 1944 and 1945. They saw killed and almost 500 wounded. The one of the best-known chapters in our heavy action in France, Belgium, the survivors’ ordeal was just beginning. country’s long military history. In late “And in the town square, we Netherlands and Germany before the Over the next four years, 267 more would 1944 and early 1945, the Canadians moved our tanks in and within enemy was finally forced to surrender die as a result of malnutrition, beatings battled to push the Germans from the minutes, there were probably a in early May. by prison guards and forced labour. country they had occupied since the couple of thousand people… And George MacDonell of Ontario was a spring of 1940. With its challenging I got up in the turret and started The western Allies declared 8 May young company sergeant major who said terrain, the Netherlands was a tough the people singing the Dutch 1945 to be Victory in Europe (V-E) of the desperate fighting in Hong Kong: place to fight. national anthem. And there Day. After years of hardship, suffering wasn’t a dry eye to the place, and sacrifice, millions around the “We immediately were engaged After opening battles in the fall of 1944, 2,000 people. They hadn’t been world celebrated the end of the bad weather brought the offensive to and the Canadians fought able to sing for five years.” fighting. Peace in Europe had come at a halt. That winter was a terrible time extremely well in a hopeless last. for the Dutch—food and fuel supply The Liberation of the Netherlands was a situation. There wasn’t anybody reserves were gone; people ate tulip proud achievement for our country but there that did not know that we bulbs and scavenged through garbage one that came at a great cost with more were in a terrible spot…” to survive. Thousands starved or froze than 7,600 Canadians losing their lives. to death. This spring marked the 75th anniversary Thousands of Royal Canadian Air Force members also served in Asia during the Early in the new year, the push began of this important milestone. The Dutch conflict. Most of them would take part in anew to liberate the entire country people have never forgotten the help we the Burma Campaign, working as radar and finally end the war in Europe. The offered in their time of need and a strong operators and members of bomber, Canadian troops were cheered as one international friendship between our two LibraryPhoto: Canada and Archives PA-137741 transport, reconnaissance and fighter town after another was freed. Veteran countries continues today. Happy Seaforth Highlanders of Canada soldiers in the Netherlands in May 1945. squadrons. Japan surrendered on 15 August 1945, after atomic bombs were dropped on Winning the war on the high seas Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Victory over Japan (V-J) Day marked the end of The Battle of the Atlantic was the With courage and the adoption of new than 1,600 of our merchant seamen were almost six years of fighting in the Second longest campaign of the Second World technology and tactics, however, the tide killed. But without victory in the Battle World War. The Canadian prisoners War. This bitter struggle at sea lasted turned and the Allies would eventually of the Atlantic, the Allies could not have of war were finally liberated and could from the first day of the conflict in triumph in the war at sea. triumphed in the Second World War. return home. September 1939 to the end of the fighting in Europe in May 1945. It was Members of the Royal Canadian Navy, a showdown between the Allies, who Canadian Merchant Navy and Royal needed to transport supplies and troops Canadian Air Force played leading roles from North America to Europe, and the in this battle. Indeed, more than 25,000 Germans, who wanted to cut that vital Allied merchant ships safely made it to lifeline. their destination under Canadian escort, delivering some 165 million tons of It was a hard-fought struggle in which supplies to Europe. The cost of helping the German U-boats (submarines) came the convoys get through was high— dangerously close to victory as they some 2,000 of our sailors died during Photo: LibraryPhoto: PA-193015 Canada and Archives HMCS Assiniboine sailors manning an LibraryPhoto: PA-104057 Canada and Archives torpedoed hundreds of Allied transport the conflict, 750 Canadian airmen lost Naval officer with liberated Canadian anti-aircraft gun while escorting a convoy prisoners of war in Hong Kong after the ships in the opening years of the war. their lives over the Atlantic and more in July 1940. Japanese surrender. GOING TO WAR IN KOREA Peacekeeping in the Congo “When you go into war, you know Canadian service members have taken It was an eye-opening experience for you’re going to see fellas wounded, part in many peace support efforts in our military personnel tasked with killed… So you have to take it all in Africa over the years. One of the first peacekeeping in a place with so little stride, but you feel hurt. Everybody was in the Congo in 1960. Hundreds of peace to keep. Weapons and violence does when he sees a buddy killed Canadians served in the troubled country were widespread in a society that or a buddy wounded… I think it as part of a large-scale United Nations had been torn apart in the aftermath myself today. How lucky I was, (UN) peacekeeping mission that ran for of its colonial period as a Belgian Photo: LibraryPhoto: Canada and Archives PA-171327 you know, compared to some of four years. possession. Despite some successes, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry the other fellas.” in the end the UN troops were unable soldiers in Korea in March 1951. to stop the greater forces of upheaval The Korean War erupted 70 years ago When an armistice was finally signed on rocking the Congo and they departed when North Korean troops poured across 27 July 1953, the border was back close in 1964. Sadly, two Canadian soldiers the border into South Korea on 25 June to where it had been before the conflict. lost their lives there. 1950. Traditionally known as the “Land Our country had helped restore peace of the Morning Calm,” Korea would be and freedom to the people of South The political situation in the Congo ravaged by more than three years of Korea—a peace paid for in part by the has remained volatile and a small bitter fighting. More than 26,000 brave 516 Canadian servicemen who died Canadian Armed Forces contingent Canadians travelled halfway around the during the war. No formal peace treaty Photo: Department of National Defence Department of National Photo: has again been serving in the country world to fight with the United Nations was ever signed, however, and tensions Two Canadian peacekeepers travelling on in recent years. forces and Charlie Rees of Newfoundland between North and South Korea remain the Congo River in 1961. was there: high today. veterans.gc.ca/educators 2 CANADA REMEMBERS TIMES Fighting for breath CANADA IN ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA Our country has a long and proud It is hard for us today to imagine the in the defensive lines. Our soldiers’ tradition of serving in international horrors of fighting in the First World heroic actions gave the Allies time to peace support efforts. Twenty War. Heavy machine gun, rifle and recover and prevent a massive enemy years ago, Canadian Armed Forces artillery fire took a deadly toll on the breakthrough. On April 24, however, the members deployed to Ethiopia and soldiers in the trenches of the Western Germans launched another gas attack— Eritrea in the Horn of Africa to take Front. But a terrible new weapon arrived and this time the Canadians would be part in a large United Nations (UN) on the battlefields on 22 April 1915 the primary targets. In a nightmare of mission. when the Germans released poison gas fighting that saw the Canadians gasping during the 2nd Battle of Ypres in Belgium. for air through soaked and muddy Ethiopia and Eritrea had once been handkerchiefs, they held on against all one country but Eritrea gained its The Allied troops beside the Canadian odds until Allied reinforcements arrived.