60th Anniversary of D-Day

[J.P. Brescacin]

On May 22, 2004 we are hosting a D-Day parade with the Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment and Windsor Garrison and would like to invite Canadian, British and American re-enactors as well as WW2 military vehicle owners to participate. The parade will take place at 10 am on Saturday with vehicles and other displays afterwards. Lunch will be provided for all vehicle owners and re-enactors. On Sunday, May 23 we will have a convoy of military vehicles visiting historical stops in Essex county.
We will also be helping the E & K and the Windsor Regiment open their new armoury on October 16, 2004 with a similar parade , open house and display. HRH Prince Michael of Kent. the Colonel in Chief of the E & K, will be present and it should be quite an event. We are also inviting Michigan area MV owners and re-enactors as well.
If interested please call J.P. Brescacin @ 519 735 6287 or Tim Gillies @ 519 738 0483.

[Stewart Loy]

JP,

Please count me and my Carrier in.


Stewart

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

I'd love to be there, but that day I've been invited to take the salute at a parade at King's Stone in Southampton England. This is an annual event which recreates the Canadians passing by just before D-Day, with His Majesty in attendance. This annual parade is organized by Richard Notton's Solent MVT group, and he has extended me a very privileged invitation to attend as their "tame" (and mostly housebroken) Canadian.

It is an honour I cannot refuse.

Take pictures, you guys. JP & Tim... good show!

[J.P. Brescacin]

Just by way of an update to everyone, the plans for the parade are coming along nicely with 8 carriers, 6 jeeps, 2 halftracks, a Sherman and (keep our fingers crossed) a FAT with limber and 25 lber and the Lynx coming from Shilo. These last two depend on Ford coming through with sponsorship and since they haven't told me no yet I keep hoping.
Lots of veterans are excited about it and are promising to come including one gentleman who was among the first Canadians ashore on D-Day, another who was captured at Dieppe and still has his manacles from that episode and Stan Scizlowski, a very entertaining vet who has written about his exploits during the war as well as been written about by both Pierre Berton and Mark Zuehlke in their books. These gentlemen will all be with us at a BBQ at the Tilston Armoury on the Friday night before the parade and I'm sure they will share some of their stories with all in attendance.
If anyone would like to bring any other vehicles to join us or if you are a reenactor who would like to participate, please contact me for more info and details.

[Stewart Loy]

JP,

I just got back from the militaria show in Pickering.

It was a good show, well put on by our pal Richard. The usual cast of luminaries of the CMP world were there - they were all bright and eager even if the skies were not.

While standing out front waiting to get in I had a converstion with a fellow from down your way who said that he and Ed L. would be there with halftracks for the parade. These vehicles, coupled with the many Carriers may make this THE event of the year. I hope that we get a chance to give a ride to a vet or two.

I am off to Maryland for 2 weeks, and can barely contain myself for the big event.

I plan to get there Wednesday evening, so a convoy with Tommy Allens welder truck and the 30 cwt that accompanies it is not possible.

Pinky, are you taking the short drive down the road to attend? My wife is learning to weld that Thursday, so I may need somebody to buy a beer, who is familiar with the area.




Stewart

[J.P. Brescacin]

Well the event is now history. The weather scared us in the morning but it held off during the parade and display.We didn't get quite the numbers of vehicles we had planned but I don't think the veterans cared. There were lots of smiles, the odd tear, and many thankful ladies and gentlemen that deserved the best we could give them. All in all not bad for a first effort.
One lady told me about how she had come here from Nova Scotia with her 4 brothers who then all went off to war, none returned. She never went back and was so pleased that someone was finally honouring them. Another had been at the Armouries when her husband had marched off to war and he too never returned. She too was upset that prior to this event there had been no local recognition of their sacrifice. One of our local MPs, Joe Comartin, who was instrumental in helping pull this off, said a few words at the riverfront. He had done his homework and found out that Windsor had never, ever honoured their returning veterans. Not at wars end, 10 years after, 20..., 30...never. What a disgraceful way to treat these young men and women who went off to war and did what they had to do so that we now could enjoy the many priviledges that we do.
Many thanks to RSM Kirk Drew, Tim Gillies, Joe Comartin and Sheila Swinton for pulling it all together. Also to fellows like our own Stewart Loy, Ed Landstrom, Eugene Puttman, the Papaks and many others who gave up days of work so that everyone present could enjoy their vehicles and equipment.
Next year, the Italian Campaign Veterans will be the honourees so please try and prepare your stuff so that their sacrifices will also be recognized and honoured.
PS- Jeeps and carriers are cool but there's nothing like a Sherman clanking down the road. Thanks OMVA.

SUNRAY commands it.