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Hanno Spoelstra 14-05-22 07:03

Canadian general to receive royal tribute
 
2 Attachment(s)
“Canadian general who accepted Nazi surrender in Netherlands to receive royal tribute

Princess Margriet to unveil plaque dedicated to Lt.-Gen. Charles Foulkes at Beechwood Cemetery

Alistair Steele · CBC News · Posted: May 13, 2022 4:00 AM ET | Last Updated: May 13

When Princess Margriet of the Netherlands lifts the veil on a bronze plaque at Ottawa's Beechwood Cemetery on Friday, she will be honouring a Canadian military figure who's arguably better remembered in her country than he is here.

The plaque pays tribute to Lt.-Gen. Charles Foulkes, who died in Ottawa in 1969 and is buried at Beechwood. His grave is marked by a simple granite headstone, according to military tradition”


Continue here: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottaw...aque-1.6448978


Lt.-Gen. Charles Foulkes, left, discusses the terms of surrender with Gen. Johannes Blaskowitz, centre right, on May 5, 1945, at the Hotel de Wereld in Wageningen, Netherlands.
(Library and Archives Canada 3193142)
Attachment 128636


Foulkes is seen riding in an armoured vehicle in August 1944, when he was commanding officer of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division during the Normandy campaign.
(Library and Archives Canada 3205557)
Attachment 128602

Hanno Spoelstra 14-05-22 07:10

2 Attachment(s)
Justin Trudeau, Canada’s PM, posted on FB:

Quote:

Near the end of the Second World War, General Charles Foulkes accepted the surrender of German troops in the Netherlands. His service changed the course of history, and his legacy continues to inspire people in Canada and the Netherlands to this day. Indeed, our two countries are forever united by the role he and others played during the Liberation of the Netherlands.

To honour him, Princess Margriet and I helped unveil a plaque at Beechwood Cemetery this afternoon. We will never forget his service, and we will continue to pay tribute to all who have served our country.
//
Vers la fin de la Deuxième Guerre mondiale, le général Charles Foulkes a accepté la capitulation des troupes allemandes aux Pays-Bas. Son service a changé le cours de l’histoire, et son héritage inspire encore aujourd’hui les habitants du Canada et des Pays-Bas. En effet, nos deux pays sont à jamais unis par le rôle que lui et d’autres gens ont joué pendant la libération des Pays-Bas.

Cet après-midi, la princesse Margriet et moi avons participé au dévoilement d’une plaque en son honneur au cimetière Beechwood. Nous n’oublierons jamais son service, et nous continuerons de rendre hommage à tous ceux qui ont servi notre pays.

Attachment 128603 Attachment 128604

David Dunlop 14-05-22 10:21

Hello Hanno.

Don Foulkes, the nephew of General Foulkes, is married to my cousin Sharon. She is the younger daughter of my Dad’s youngest brother.

David

Ed Storey 14-05-22 12:57

Foulkes Beechwwod Plaque
 
1 Attachment(s)
It is too bad that whoever wrote the text for the plaque was not very well informed about the Canadian Army and it appears that the research was based entirely on a Google search.

Attachment 128605

For instance the text states that, "AFTER UNIVERSITY, PROVING HIMSELF BY LEADING HIS DIVISION THROUGH THE NORMANDY CAMPAIGN..." This is all well an good but to the casual reader 'his' division means nothing and it should read "BY LEADING 2ND CANADIAN INFANTRY DIVISION THROUGH THE NORMANDY CAMPAIGN."

Further along the sentence reads, "AND IN NOVEMBER 1944, WAS PROMOTED TO GENERAL OFFICER COMMANDING OF I CANADIAN CORPS IN ITALY." General Officer Commanding is an appointment and not a rank, as Foulkes was already GOC of 2nd Canadian Infantry Division he would have been promoted from Major-General to Lieutenant-General when taking command of I Corps. Perhaps "WAS PROMOTED TO LIEUTENANT-GENERAL AND GIVEN COMMAND OF I CORPS IN ITALY." would been a more accurate statement?

The plaque also states, "IN 1951, HE BECAME THE FIRST-EVER CANADIAN TO BE APPOINTED CHAIRMAN OF THE CHIEFS OF STAFF,..." Technically this is correct, but again, the casual reader will have no clue what that position actually was and may mistake it for being Chair of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff. I am proposing that "IN 1951, HE WAS THE FIRST TO BE APPOINTED CHAIRMAN OF THE CANADIAN CHIEFS OF STAFF COMMITTEE,..." might be less ambiguous.

This is Canada, so perhaps there was some concern over the word count increasing the price of the plaque. I also wonder who proof-read the text before signing off on it?

Bruce Parker (RIP) 14-05-22 14:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed Storey (Post 286555)

This is Canada, so perhaps there was some concern over the word count increasing the price of the plaque. I also wonder who proof-read the text before signing off on it?

I can help with that. It would be a gaggle (platoon?), well anyway a very large number of 'senior policy analysts' (or in other words 20 year old recent poly-sci or psyc university grads...they're pumping a lot of them out lately that need work) who are well up to speed on all the recent modernisms floating about society but a little weak on what happened in the past and compelled to apologize for it in any event. Hours and months of remote covid meetings went into this. Focus groups, word smithing, consensus building, pre-approvals at umpteen levels, senior staff re-pre-approval for each word choice...oh, and of course cut and paste from google. Only then did they start the procurement process for the plaque itself. It's not easy taking years to find a government vetted contractor to make a plaque at ten times the going rate but they manage.

Our PM over in Holland for this is rich, what with his open distain for our armed forces and our county's past.

Grant Bowker 14-05-22 16:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Parker (Post 286557)
Our PM over in Holland for this is rich, what with his open distain for our armed forces and our county's past.


I had the impression that the ceremony took place at the Beechwood Cemetary in Ottawa. There were certainly media reports that Princess Margriet was visiting Canada/Ottawa.

Bruce Parker (RIP) 14-05-22 16:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grant Bowker (Post 286560)
I had the impression that the ceremony took place at the Beechwood Cemetary in Ottawa. There were certainly media reports that Princess Margriet was visiting Canada/Ottawa.

You are correct, but my point stands. The other giveaway (silly me for not noticing) is that our PM is even now politicizing covid masks: no wear in Europe photo ops (to make sure the cameras pick up his beauty for all the world to see) but wear in Canada as a political statement.

David Dunlop 14-05-22 17:10

Was it not Princess Margriet, for whom the Canadian Government temporarily declared the Ottawa Maternity Ward in which she was born, territory of the Netherlands, so she would be born a Dutch National?

David

Ed Storey 14-05-22 19:40

Ottawa Hospital Ward
 
This is what Google has to say, "It is a common misconception that the Canadian government declared the maternity ward to be Dutch territory. That was not necessary, as Canada follows jus soli or citizenship of a nation, while the Netherlands follows jus sanguinis which means a person acquires citizenship through their parents. It was sufficient for Canada to disclaim the territory temporarily."

Beyond the politics of the PM and his masking, the simple fact that this plaque was delayed for two years and the mandarins in Ottawa still managed to produce an ambiguous text is I think an example of just how much lip-serve is paid to historical events. Spouting speaking points about not letting the future generations forget is commonplace at these events, but as I think I have pointed out, the most basic of details have already been forgotten and context in an unknown commodity.

Tony Smith 15-05-22 02:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Dunlop (Post 286552)
Hello Hanno.

Don Foulkes, the nephew of General Foulkes, is married to my cousin Sharon. She is the younger daughter of my Dad’s youngest brother.

David

But what colour eyes does the Grandson of your Mother's Father-In-Law have?

I cannot follow that at all! :bang:

I will just have to be happy with "there is a family connection". :giveup

Jakko Westerbeke 15-05-22 11:12

1 Attachment(s)
As far as I can tell from reading the genealogy a few times, it works out like this:

Attachment 128638

Edit: And now with the correct names … (I had confused the names of the posters originally :( Apologies to all involved.)

Tony Smith 15-05-22 13:43

See! MLU is just one big family! :D

Lynn Eades 15-05-22 23:45

And now Jakko, for the Mitochondrial dna and the 6 degrees of separation please? :D :devil:

James P 16-05-22 00:38

..........

Hanno Spoelstra 16-05-22 10:15

no politics, please
 
Sorry to hear some people are seeing (only) the political perpective of this. I've had an offline message asking to take a post down as that person dislikes Canada's PM.

This thread was to report on the remembrance of a Canadian veteran, it’s not about the dignitaries involved. Whether or not someone accepts those people as a dignitary is not the subject of this thread.


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