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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1985-12-11, Page 17December 1 1 , 1 985 eisurea tures and entertainment Serving over 20,000 homes in Ontario's heartland Tuesday, May 7 A t vvr By John Martens TUESDAY, MAY 7 This was really a special day for the veterans. They were going to visit the region around Delfzyl in the province of Groningen, by bus, courtesy of the city of Sneek. Around Delfzyl the Nazis had put up a fanatical resistance in the waning days of the war, and here the Perths had fought one of the fiercest engage- ments of the whole campaign against Germany. Their casualties were heavy and the more grievous as it was clear the war was winding' up. Delfzyl is situated on the river Eems, estuary. Across the water is Germany and the port city of Emden. A return to this flat country, dotted with cement bunkers dating from the war and protected by great dikes from the sea, was like a trip back into the uncertain past, when the veterans put their lives on the line day after day. On to of thebunkers anti-aircraft batteries were mounted, which could also be used against ground targets. A glimpse at the accompanying pic- tures will give you an idea how expos- ed the attacking Canadian ground forces really were. Names like Holwierde, Nansum and Biessum, little hamlets in the vicinity of Delfzyl, will forever by remember- ed by the Perths. We wondered, too, how ,the farmers and other country dwellers came through the battles. On ' this score our guide, who was born in one of the nearby hamlets, had a little story to tell us. BLOWN FROM BUGGY The Canadian liberation forces took up positions near the little town where he was born, in the spring of 1945. Their artillery fired a volley and our guide told with obvious relish and pride how the baby buggy he was in; was overturned by the blast and he himself flung out. His mother never tired of telling him of his early child- hood adventure. She told him how she placed his buggy by the roadside later, after freedom was regained, so that the Canadian soldiers hopefully would throw in chocolate bars. When we departed to Delfzyl after inspection of the weathered bunkers, our two buses returned via the same extremely narrow country roads we had followed to reach the bunker sites. This is the border of Holland and it is very quiet in the countryside now. Our bus passed a farmhouse and a barn. An old farmer, yellow "klomp- en" on his feet, leaning on a sturdy cane, stood by the gate. He held himself up with difficulty. His frail hand moved to his cap and took it from the snow-white hair cov- ering his head like a crown. His smile and eyes reflected what a thousand speeches of welcome and appreciation will never be able to ex- press, for even into the far corners and out-of-the-way places of Holland, the Canadians brought freedom. The old man had seen the Perths in action with his own eyes. In Delfzyl itself there was the usual official reception at the town hall. A great welcome was also accorded the Perths despite the fact 'the town had just gone through a week of celebra- tions in honor of some of the other Ca- nadian units which had taken part in the liberation of the city. BACK TO SNEEK The return journey to Sneek, led through some of the most lush pasture ,1 lands in the Netherlands. The great abundance cif _ducks and swans in the .low-lying fields and innumerable ditches filled with water especially excited the nimrods among the veter- ans. The enormous number of water - e to aug L fowl strikes a traveller in Holland as nothing but extraordinary. The aquatic bird population is rigidly pro- tected and claimed to be a factor in keeping the water clean by the birds' foraging habits. The birds are believ- ed to be a positive element in control- ling the environment and keeping it healthy. The birds seem to reprocate. In many places one sees swans brood- ing two or three feet from the roadside and nobody will disturb them. Some time was spent in Leeuwar- den, the capital of Friesland. The town is home to some 90,000 people and after Groningen the second larg- est city in the north of the Nether- lands. Leeuwarden has a rich history. Just outside of the city, tea was enjoy- ed in a beautiful restaurant, close to a village that bore the strange name Hardegaryp, after which a ,hort bus tour was made through the center of the city. At one time Leeuwarden was situat- ed by the sea. Today 15 miles or more separate it from the water. In the course of many centuries a Large part of the present-day province of Fries- land was wrestled by man from the grip of the sea. It was rumored after the war that following an eventual Nazi victory its rich lands and farms were destined to be -distributed among S. S. soldiers in recognition of their "services" for the Nazi cause. The Frisian people were to be • marched to Poland to form a Ger- manic bulwark against the "hordes" from the East. Nothing came of that plan of course. A freedom -loving people resisted and forged an unbreakable bond of af- ' fection for the soldiers from Canada with their unfamiliar names, who came to the rescue of a nation in dead- ly peril. And there has been peace in the land till this day. 'rl Getting ready for the par- ade through Delfzyl. Lt. Col John S. Whyte of the Perths presents the Mayor of Delfzyl Mr. Ivo Opstelten with a flag of the city of Stratford, On- tario, Canada. To the right Mrs. Whyte. Visiting a German bun- ker The exact replica of the hull of The Prince Willem of the Dutch East Indies Com- pany is being built for the Japanese at Amel's ship wharves at Makkum and will cost in excess of 1.5 million dollars. The Dutch were, with exclusion of Western nations, the only whites allowed to trade with Japan. They maintained, often under humiliating circumstances, a trading post on the island of Decima. Upon completion the vessel will be towed to Decima. F Veterans walking in thought near bunkers. By Kim Dadson Children are -the main reason most people find themselves donating gifts and toys to goodwill programs at Christmas. - Most people would agree that chil- dren are one of the important ingredi- ents for a merry Christmas. And children are a motivating fact- or at the heart of the WoolWich Com- munity Information Centre's Christ- mas Goodwill program. Last year, 117 children received clothing, toys and a family Christmas dinner due to the project. Equally important, but perhaps not thought of as often, were the 119 adults, the mothers, fathers and guardians of these children, who were also helped by the Goodwill program. ---------- kn adult-rec-eines a41W0-gni€-t-thre.ugh.... the program but possibly more im- portant, according to one of the pro- gram co-ordinators, Eugene Roehr, is the contact an adult has with someone !r- at a difficult time of the year. Depression is -common when you can't meet the expectations of your own children or society. "It's being in touch with these people that is all-important," says Mr. Roehr. Sometimes it is the only contact they have and it is a contact that demonstrates someone does care — at a time when it feels like no one cares or understands. "Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa aa -us"-,` dal—in posters which advertise the Goodwill program. Even adults need to know that onee in a while. The Christmas Goodwill program is co-ordinated this year by Bev Jackson and Mr. Roehr, who is also a board member for the Community Informa- tion Centre. The two are aiming at expanding the number of families re- ceiving help this year. They want to reach out further into the. township to help families missed in past years. Volunteer co-ordinators in such vil- lages as St. Jacobs, Maryhill, Breslau, or Conestogo will be sought. There are no paid salaries associated with the program — everyone is a volunteer. School and church Contacts are made as most families are referredlii the centre by, school officials or even neighbors who feel there may be a problem. Each referral is checked by the co-ordinators and all the names of families helped will be kept confiden- tial. Mrs. Jackson and Mr. Roehr esti- mate they will help 100 families, up from 75 last year. About 50 volunteers assist by shop- ping for presents, wrapping and sort- ing purchases while the Kinsmen Club delivers the package which includes Christmas dinner. Local shopkeepers last year, demonstrated their own , spirit by ', offering bargains to Christmas Good- will shoppers. The majority of families are wel- fare recipients while others have found themselves in a temporary bind due to illness or accident. "A lot don't have a family or, friends," comments Mr. Roehr.. This year Mr. Roehr would like to stress that there are people "in our own backyard" who really need a helping hand. "We take so much for granted," adds Mrs. Jackson. "Many people under the poverty level feel the pressure to'conform at Christmas." Donations of new toys, clothing or cash can be made at the Woolwich Community Information Centre. A family that is able or a willing church group`or o -Cher organrzat�ons or n ll- viduals can sponsor a family or an in- dividual child. Mr. Roehr says his participation in the program is "my way of expressing what Christmas is all about." He en- th-USieStically -tells of how the spiriT Christmas moves in people who come to donate. "It's a time when we take the "Do Not Open" stickers off our hearts!". Inspection before the parade.