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HomeMy WebLinkAboutGoderich Signal Star, 2017-04-12, Page 13Wednesday, April 12, 2017 • Signal Star 13 Vikings honour the fallen in Europe William Duckworth, Rob- ert Henry Sallows, Richard Young, Kelso Johnston. Names of the fallen etched in stone after the invasion of Europe. Members of Goderich Dis- trict Collegiate Institute recently returned from pay- ing homage to local soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice in both world wars. In particular, focus was on the invasion of Normandy, and the 100th anniversary of Vimy Ridge, considered by many to be the moment where Canada became a country. The Vikings travelled 12 days, beginning in Berlin and venturing to Apeldoorn, Amsterdam, Ypres, Vimy Ridge, Nor- mandy, Paris and London. "I think the most impact- ful part of the trip was visit- ing the concentration camp," said senior student Payten Lang. "Walking around the court- yard and visiting the rooms had such a powerful feel." 'l'he group toured Saschenhausen Concentra- tion camp in an afternoon, after an earlier walk through the Holocaust Memorial. Following a his- tory lesson and stops along the key points of the Berlin Wall, the stu- dents took part in an evening panel discussion about the cold war, featuring individuals whom had actually lived the history of being separated • for years by machine gun placements, barbed wire and concrete. At Groesbeek Canadian cemetery in the Netherlands, the Vikings located the four WWII Goderich veterans above, laying wreaths and poppies donated by Legion Branch 109 to honour those involved in the lib- eration of Europe. According to Jim Rut - ledge's text The Men of Huron, Duckworth had been part of the Dieppe Raid Operation Jubilee with the Essex Scottish in 1944, while Sallows landed in Normandy the same year. Young arrived in Normandy in 1945 while Johnston later served in 1 lol- land with the Army of Occupation. The GDCI group was then featured in the ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium, where so many of Huron Coun- ty's 161st Battalion were bloodied in WWI. Darcy Brohman and Liam • Shore were part of the pro- cessional placing a wreath to honour the battalion. "Placing the wreath at the Menin Gate really made you think of all the names of the fallen, who's names are on those walls," said Shore. "It puts into per- spective how many were lost and never found." The Vikings then ventured to the Douai Plain of France, admiring Walter Allward's master sculpture of Canada mourning her lost at Vimy Ridge. Sections of the trench and tunnelling systems for both sides have been preserved for viewing. "For me, touring the trenches and the battlefields here was the most inspiring," said Vanessa Chisholm. "Experiencing it in real life changed my perspective and made the history feel real." Standing on Vimy Ridge, students commented on how much they understood about the importance in terms of placement and vantage points, because you could see for kilometres in any direction. At Normandy the Vikes saw first-hand the daunting task that awaited so many soldiers, and later they wandered the pillbox area at Canada's Juno Beach. After stopping at the famous Canada House, the Vikings got an YMCA amp Henry.ca AT POINT PELEE NATIONAL PARK Photo courtesy of Liam Store Students of Goderich District Collegiate Institute visited the Vimy Ridge Memorial in France. added bonus with a side excursion to the beaches of Dieppe, courtesy of a generous donation from the Legion Branch 109. "We really wanted to do this trip because of the 100th anniversary of Vimy" said GDCI history teacher and organizer Ray Lewis. "Still, the best part is always watching the eyes light up when students catch that first glimpse of real history, whether it's the Berlin Wall or the Eiffel Tower:' fr."-, Vortgages nave ,peen arounc forgenerations. generations So wat's cnangec? When families gather, sometimes they discuss home ownership. So what's new? Price bubbles, employment and mortgage approvals, interest rate fears, payment options, home equity and retirement planning, payments and budgets, family plans and income changes, principle residence rules... actually what hasn't changed? The value of mortgage Coaching keeps growing. And you'll only find it at Libro. Talk to a Libro Mortgage Coach - create a prosperity plan and tailor your mortgage to your life today! Visit libro.ca or can -800-361-8222 saving • borrowing • investing • sharing Libro CREDIT UNION prosper here.