Remembrance Day 2010

Nov 11, 2010

Remembering their war years By Julie Druker

Photo: WWII Veterans Art Goodfellow and Ken Hollywood reminisce at the annual Veteran's Dinner at the Sharbot Lake Legion

Art Goodfellow and Ken Hollywood were just two of 18 veterans who attended the annual Veterans' Dinner put on by the Sharbot Lake Legion.

The two gentlemen, who sat across from each other, were inundated by well-wishers throughout the evening. At 86 and 93 years of age respectively, they are the oldest veterans at the Legion who served during the Second World War.

William Arthur Goodfellow of Parham served from 1942-45 as a flying officer with the 425 Air Squadron. He enlisted when he was just 18 years old and traveled across Canada while training, until he finally ended up in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia where his squadron flew numerous runs over the North Atlantic looking for enemy submarines.

“We were all assigned different areas of water and though we came close a few times we never came across any.” he recalled, before nodding in the direction of his dinner partner Ken; “Ken was in the army and saw a lot more action than I did.”

At 93 years of age, Ken Hollywood is the oldest veteran at the Sharbot Lake Legion. He enlisted when he was 23 years old and did his basic training in Canada. He then went to the training centre in Basingstoke, England in 1943 where he said “you learned to become a real soldier by living like one.”

He landed on D-Day at Juno Beach (a.k.a. Canadian beach) in France as part of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division. He fought as a machine gunner and was involved in the numerous battles that followed on that coast and inland on the way to their objective, the German air field at Carpiquet.

Ken chooses not speak of the details of specific battles, but instead speaks of them in general terms.

“They all involved sniping and killing and pretty much doing what you had to do in whatever circumstance you happened to be in at that moment,” he said.

He remembered one especially fierce battle.

“It happened in one small town where we fought like hell to get a water pump so we could just have some water to drink,” he said.

One of those battles resulted in the murder of over 139 Canadian and British POWs by members of the 12th SS Panzer Division Hilter Jugend at the headquarters of SS Commandant Kurt Meyers at the Abbaye d'Ardenne.

“I was right there and that was definitely some of the worst I saw by far.” Ken recalled.

In fact it was the day after the first of those murders (June 8, 1944) that Ken was seriously wounded. “It was the next morning and it was about 10 o'clock. I remember I was in an apple orchard and a sniper shot me through my eye.” The bullet exited Ken's neck from behind and the wound left him clinically blind. He spent a long time recuperating in a military hospital.

“There was a long time that I could not even pronounce the alphabet because my throat was so torn up,” he said.

Ken lost three gun crews throughout the coastal fighting and by the time he was wounded there was only one member of his squad alive.

Ken does not go into any detail about the numerous medals adorning his jacket. “That’s just war stuff and I’m not much at promoting war,” he said. “I am here tonight to remember my fallen comrades.”

Ken has never gone back to visit France. “Members of my family have been back there. I have no desire to go back but if I ever did go back I'd be looking to try to find all of the caches of food that I had buried there all along the way.”

The Sharbot Lake Legion is named after the Hollywoods.

Reservists Honour the Fallen; 48th Highlanders Monument, Queen’s Park

By Don Antoine

Photo: Don Antoine and the old veteran

On the Honour Rolls of our Cenotaphs written in proud and everlasting memory, are the names of those who gave their lives for Canada and in defence of the sacred liberties of all humanity. We remember the Canadian soldiers who fell during the great battles of the past 119 years. During these years 113,489 where killed, 192,559 wounded, 132 have died in Afghanistan (two members of the 48th Highlanders gave their lives), we do not have information on those wounded and we expect these numbers to rise.

Of the thin red line of soldiers who fought in Italy only a couple of dozen where able to march on parade; our veteran lines are now filled with peace-keeper and Afghanistan veterans. These veteran groups, with respect for each other, quickly formed a comradeship.

Don Antoine and a 92-year-old veteran from the Italian Campaign proudly watch the sentry on guard at the monument. This young sentry was a veteran from Afghanistan and the grandson of the 92-year-old. Lest We Forget

Remembrance Day Services

Remembrance services were held throughout our readership in tribute of the soldiers who have served our country in the past and continue to do so in the present...

Young and old remember in Flinton by Julie Druker

Representing the Northbrook Legion as their Padre, Pastor Bruce Kellar of Through the Roof Ministry presided over the Remembrance Day Ceremonies in Flinton, which attracted a large crowd. Participants included Legion members, representatives of the municipal and provincial government, the Cadets and girls from the First Cloyne Sparks, Brownies and Girl Guides and members of the general public. A total of 30 wreaths were laid at the Flinton cenotaph honouring and remembering those who have served our country.

Verona Remembrance Day 2010

Photo: PCPS students lay their flags at the Verona cenotaph

Veterans, dignitaries, students and members of the community gathered at the cenotaph in McMullen Park in Verona on November 11 to remember. The service, emceed by Kevin Wenkoff, the French teacher at Prince Charles PS, included a refection by Doug Lovegrove, original poems by PCPS students Kira Janusz and Natasha Allen, songs by member of the PCPS choir and an official wreath laying ceremony.