Vive Le Canada

D-Day Invasion-Canada's Role

Posted on Sunday, June 06 at 22:02 by whelan costen
They rode to shore crammed into bucking landing craft, most unable to see anything more than the back of their buddy in front. They could smell the stench of gunpowder and hear a cacophony of artillery and small arms fire crashing back and forth overhead.

They were part of the D-Day invasion, the greatest seaborne assault in history. Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of the continent that had been overrun by Nazi Germany, was an enormous undertaking and an even more enormous risk.

The fate of today's world hung on the courage, strength and faith of those men bobbing in the choppy English Channel. It hung, too, on the other men who watched from the shelter of pillboxes, trenches and gun emplacements as the landing craft came in from the grey horizon.

D Day

Note: D Day

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  1. by avatar whelan costen
    Mon Jun 07, 2004 6:27 am
    I was glad to see the detail in this article and the media coverage on this anniversary, but it makes me so sad to remember that we were not taught about these sacrifices in school and I doubt if it is being taught today. Although we have never had a huge population, we have always had great people in this country!

    ---
    If I stand for my country today...will my country be here to stand for me tomorrow?

  2. by Anonymous
    Mon Jun 07, 2004 2:33 pm
    The world became a safer place because these people had the courage to fight tyranny and oppression - Hitler wasn't about to be voted out of office.

  3. by avatar Dr Caleb
    Mon Jun 07, 2004 4:35 pm
    I watched CBC all Sunday morning. The coverage was amazing. It was a very emotional program.<p> When they had the pipers (pipers always bring a tear to my eye) they described how on D-Day, the pipers played to the Airborne, who were dropped 10 miles back inland, so they would know the allies had captured the beach, a signal to the Airborne they were not alone. One piper started 'Amazing Grace', and 20 followed. It always brings a tear to my eye when they do that, but more so in that instance.<p> The overflight of 1 of 2 remaining flightworthy Lancasters was touching too (I know where the other one is, and I've visited it). It's what my father flew over those skys 60 years ago.<p> One lady, born in Normandy, who has given battlefield tours for the last 10 years described what it was like to give the tour for the actual soldiers who were there that day. Normans don't forget what happened that day; will not forget what price their freedom came at, and appreciate it more with every generation. Perhaps we can learn this from them.<p><p>---<br>"History does not repeat itself, but it does rhyme" Mark Twain <br />
    "The greatest price of not participating in politics is being governed by your inferiors." Plato

  4. by Dave Ruston
    Mon Jun 07, 2004 9:29 pm
    Canada`s role was huge in both world wars. Sad thing is, with corporate fascism taking hold and being backed up by the US military, it looks like our brave soldiers went to war for nothing.

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    Dave Ruston

  5. by RPW
    Tue Jun 08, 2004 6:43 am
    " but it makes me so sad to remember that we were not taught about these sacrifices in school " <b>WHAT</b>? I guess I've been out of school for far too long a time! What possible reason could the revisionists have to excluding Canada's "comoing of age", in both WWI & WWII?<p>---<br>RickW

  6. by RPW
    Tue Jun 08, 2004 6:44 am
    AMEN!

    ---
    RickW



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