May 5-Holland remembers: Canada and their liberation

Today, May 5th, marks the 70th anniversary of the Liberation of Holland.

At this point in 1945, Canadians, vastly outnumbered, had already fought a heroically desperate defensive battle against the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong, Canadian naval and merchant marine sailors had been fighting the Battle of the Atlantic for years, airmen had been flying on deadly fighter and bomber missions, had already fought their way in bitter battles across Sicily and up through Italy, and were pushing the enemy back through Germany.

But for the Dutch, it was the Canadians who liberated them and they have never forgotten.

BGen (ret) Ernest Beno, recently led a small group of serving Canadian soldiers to participate in ‘The Final Push” , a series of events leading up to this major commemoration in the Netherlands. Gen. Beno is the Honourary Colonel of the 7th Toronto Regiment, and member of the Board of Directors for the Juno Beach Centre.

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Canada’s Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, is in the Netherlands to commemorate Canada’s efforts in the Liberation. At a ceremony at Holten cemetery this week he said, “The heroes who liberated the Netherlands, like the men and women who serve our country today, understood that when there arises a great evil, a threat to all the things that define our existence as a free and just people, such enemies must be confronted”.

Archives- newsreel Canadians Liberate Holland

The preliminary event to today’s Liberation of Holland ceremonies was called “The Final Push” which involved a large number of Dutch volunteers who have restored Allied military vehicles to keep the memories alive.

The group “Keep them Rolling”, along with the group of Toronto Gunners, and veterans and dignitaries, travelled the route of the Canadian Army following their path from town to town through Holland as they pushed the German forces towards unconditional surrender on May 5th

Gen. Beno (ret.) says he and his group of serving soldiers who travelled with this group says the deep and abiding thanks of Holland to the Canadians is amazing.

This year, however is extremely special as it is the 70th anniversary, and many of the veterans who have travelled to Holland are now in their very late 80’s and early to mid 90’s, and are unlikely to be able to make any future return visits to Europe.

Gen. Beno says it is events like this that make him so proud to be Canadian, and to have the heritage of the accomplishments of Canadians of that generation who volunteered to travel far from home to fight against tyranny, knowing that many would not return.