Victory Parade, Goderich, Ont., Canada: May 14 2005

[Jon Skagfeld]

Goderich, Ontario, is a city/town of some 7000 people, with a strong Dutch background.

Today, some 18 MVs were part of a VE Day parade here, in recognition of this auspicious event.

I most probably have missed a couple of vehicles, what with some doing parade marshalling duties and other "to and froing", however here's what I scribbled down as being on parade:

1 x T16 Carrier
2 x Mk II* Carriers
2 x Willys MB 1/4 T
3 x M38
3 x M38A1
2 x M37
1 X C15A
1 x 2 1/2 T
1 x FAT
1x APT Dodge Wpns Carrier
1 x C15A towing a Bofors gun
1 x Silverado MILCOT

The carriers were, of course, Stewart Loy's, Perry Kitson's and Charlie Fitton's.

Veterans were carried in most, if not all, MVs. Great exercise prying them into and out of the vehicles.

Usual before- parade hiccups...Perry's carrier being tow started by a Chev! , some electrical problems with Stewart's T16
and a fire under one of the civilian vehicles towing another MV.

The crowd response was absolutely phenomenal! The cheering and clapping could be heard, to me, over the Ford flat head V8 of Stewart's T16...in which I had the pleasure of co-driving.

The only "damper" was that, when the last blabby politician had his/her yakfest, then it started raining.

Overall, a great experience, in microcosm, to what it must have been like in Ottawa and Apeldoorn.