On this date, 80 years ago, the Allied nations launched Operation Overlord. Now known primarily as D Day, it was the day that about 132, 000 Allied soldiers advanced on the beaches of Normandy against the strong opposition of enemy troops specifically tasked to withstand such an invasion. By the end of that first day, over 4000 Allied troops had died; over 10,000 had been injured, lost or captured; and victory had taken it’s first steps in freeing France and subsequently the rest of occupied Europe. It would take almost another year to achieve ultimate victory but make no mistake...the momentum of the war changed that day.
My father served on that day. His Spitfire circled the beaches of Normandy providing air coverage against the Luftwaffe ensuring that the combatants on the beach need not also be concerned of attacks from above. Recently, my son and I went back to honour his memory and his service, and that of not only the 132,000 but the hundreds of thousands that followed in the days and weeks after June 6th.
We might not all have the same passion to observe this day. Afterall, it was on another continent and 80 years in the past. Haven’t we moved on yet?
Let me assure you that those whose lives were changed that day...the French and subsequently, the Belgians and Dutch and others, still revere the sacrifices that bought them their freedom. Let me share three quick anecdotes that arose during our visit.
Epernay is a small town east of Paris in the champagne district. This is the home of the Pol Roger winery which has carried the seal of the British monarchy since Queen Victoria, and which was Winston Churchill’s brand of choice. It is also where my father did a bit of bootlegging as the Allies advanced. We met with a current member of the Roger family and recounted his story. We were as warmly received as the day my father first met the Roger ancestor. We left with warm handshakes, an opportunity to record our visit in their guest book, and a copy of their recent publication celebrating their 175th anniversary. Their freedom and their recognition of those responsible is not an empty echo but a reality celebrated in their culture.
In the small German city of Kleve, we visited the Reichwald Commonwealth Cemetery. Carved out of the German forest, over 7500 souls rest in recognition of their ultimate sacrifice. One was my father’s best friend from childhood who was killed in action in October 1944 and after whom I am named. I placed his picture and a copy of the letter his parents received notifying them of his death, on his gravestone. That evening, we recounted our visit to our Airbnb hosts, Lottie and Christof, a Dutch couple living in a renovated farmhouse. Lottie’s family included members living in Indonesia who were imprisoned and tortured during the war. She cried as easily as I did. As we left the next day, she and Christof committed to tending the gravesite for as long as they lived there. Freedom is something that came with a sacrifice, and it is never forgotten in their lives.
Finally, we visited the Canadian Juno Beach Memorial in Normandy. The site where Canadian soldiers launched their attach. The small-town shops display the flags of all the Allied nations that participated in that day. The museum curator read my father’s logbook and the comments he recorded therein. She paused and then asked for permission to copy the text and incorporate it into their archives. Remembering freedom and acknowledging the costs gives purpose and meaning to their work. NO ONE IS FORGOTTEN HERE!
I can tell you that I took a bucket of tears with me and that wasn’t enough.
You may not have as personal a story as mine, but your freedom is. On June 6th, take a deep breath and hold it for one minute. Hundreds on that day died even before their feet hit the beaches, only moments after their landing craft laid open their ramps...in less time that it has taken to draw your breath. Give silent thanks to those whose sacrifice 80 years ago allows us to enjoy living the lives that they had hoped for themselves.
