This
November 11th, Canadians from coast to coast will pause once again.
In this moment, we will remember. We will remember the men and women
who served our glorious Country during wartime. We will remember
those who gave of themselves, many with their lives, so that we
may live in peace.
I
am proud to say that I was one of more than one million Canadians
who fought in the Second World War (1939-45). In April of 1945,
I was knocked out of my tank by an explosion and saw the war end
while in a Belgium hospital. By the time the war was over, over
45,000 Canadians had given their lives.
For
me, November 11 means remembering fallen comrades. They were strong,
devoted, focused and afraid. They believed in their country and
their duty and freedom. This November 11, I will again pray for
peace and I will honour the fact that I was part of a very special
nation that fought to preserve a way of life, the Canadian culture
and the freedom we currently enjoy.
After his convalescence, Don, who had worked at Windsor's CKLW prior
to the war as a Sound Effect Man and Transcription Officer, served
briefly as a Program Engineer with Canadian Forces Radio Service
in London, England. One of his projects was to pipe the popular
"Happy Gang from Canada" radio shows which had aired coast to coast
on the CBC network, into the reinforcement depots where soldiers
waiting to return to Canada were based. Don was instructed to remove
all the commercials and was able to bundle five shows into the space
of one! In 1946, Don returned to Canada and resumed his career with
CKLW (CBET). He retired in 1985 after having promoted to Film Department
Manager. A father of six, grandfather of 14 and great-grandfather
of 10, Don will gather with his wife Ruth of 59 years and family
to remember on November 11.
