Heroes from Second World War recall their experiences
Looking at current Reader's Digest edition
By Mark Schadenberg
In history, June 6, 1944
is very significant as it's the day more than 14,000 Canadian troops
were set to invade the German-occupied beach at Normandy in France in
the Second World War.
D-Day was 70 years ago and
many publications, historians, television networks, and news outlets
are preparing tributes.
As we know, in the
magazine business, deadlines are often two or three months before the
items hit the newsstands and display racks at your favourite drug
store.
Reader's Digest has its
June 2014 issue available already. In fact, I acquired mine before
the Memorial Cup hockey tournament, which is significant in that
Canada's top major junior clubs vie for a trophy created in 1918 in
honour both veterans and those who died in action in conflicts around
the world.
Reader's Digest
(www.readersdigest.ca)
is a must read this issue as it places the spotlight on three
different and unique Normandy stories. One saga is about a
paratrooper named John Ross, and another about a woman (Madge Janes)
whose important role is to crack codes which had been intercepted
from the enemy. A third story looks back to a man who carries his
injured friend hundreds of metres out of a battle line to a
make-shift hospital.
The hero in this third
story is Orval Gibbons (Now 90 and living in Orillia) and his patient
or wounded war pal is Nelson Thibeault. The reason this particular
writing grabbed my attention is that after the Second World War, this
sergeant Gibbons never told the story of his heroism – not even to
his wife. Years later, Gibbons and Thibeault would meet again in a
town north of Sudbury, and it would be Thibeault who would recall the
happenings of that day to Orval's spouse.
The 1944 Second World War
era and fighting for world peace, was a time which in 2014 we have
difficulty comprehending.
I attend the cenotaph
every year on Nov. 11, but it doesn't seem like enough as we can not
imagine the trenches, the bullets, the mud, the bombs dropping from
airplanes, the explosions, the starving citizens of the area in the
war path, and the death of many friends and comrades.
If you're not an avid
Reader's Digest fan, be sure to at least peruse the June edition.
Other stories this month
include:
- A look back at the Montreal Expos baseball club, including Jarry Park.
- Canadian entertainment legend, pop singer Jann Arden is climbing the charts again
- Farm safety and a report about a farmer who almost died when buried in a corn silo.
- An analysis of car insurance – coverage for you and the car.
- Is there a co-relation between dreams and playing video games.
- Medical update dealing with pre-screening for possible diseases.
- Of course, a Father's Day tribute with three memoirs for Dads.
Mark
Schadenberg, Sales
Representative
Senior
Real Estate Specialist (SRES designation)
Royal
LePage Triland Realty
757
Dundas St, Woodstock
www.wesellwoodstock.com
(519)
537-1553, cell or text
Email:
mschadenberg@rogers.com
Twitter:
markroyallepage
Facebook:
Mark Schadenberg, Royal LePage Triland
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