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Home My WebLink AboutThe Wingham Advance Times, 1995-05-10, Page 8air the Canr�fia amid so valiant to giumntee our free • To tiri e peopk Hollanrffor die warrn!raspit given to our Canadian veterans andfamzCtPs, our appreriation. ehe ingbant 2thilanceareintro Need a Hand This Spring General lawn maintenance, Interlocking Stone and Retaining Walls. Ponds, top soil. Pai-Da Landscaping g 357-3380 BOB WATTAM'S� BACKHOE SERVICE Trenching - Septic Systems Excavating Belgrave 357-3069 Wheeler Auftiiass Division of Wheeler i3us Lines Inc. Box 117 Wingham NOG 2W0 Free Mobile Service Brussels 357-1270 JOE KER.R CONTRACTOR LTD. Gravel, Trucking, Bulldozing Front End Loaders & Truck Repairs Wingham 357-3530 THE PEOPLE PLEASERS • Sales • New & Used Cars & Trucks • Leasing • Parts • Service 115 Josephine St., WINGHAM 357-2323 Town Council of The Town of Wingham Maitland Restaurant Licensed Daily Special • Fast Take Out Orders 357-3341 Wingham v�� FiUi�O Sou) Z 0 9074 ASKES LTD. 357-3053 335.3664 Custom Building & Renovating "Serving You Since 1974" 357-3053 335.3664 pf came at a high cost of human suffering; Wingham celebrates with intense passion Continued from front page On April 12, 1945, Gen. D Eisenhower, supreme comm of the Allied forces on contin Europe, delcared, "The end i far off," in a stStement broadca to urban residents of Western many. He warned them to fle once from the factories, mines, centres and hide until the Allie rived. The May 3, 1945, issue of newspaper reported, "The Am can and Russian armies from h world apart met in the heart of ler',s once -proud Reich, leav Germany crushed and virtu over -run from the east and west. "The meeting of the men of.G eral Eisenhower and Marshal Sta south of Berlin left only pockets Germans in Hitler's northern southern hold-out areas to stamped out before Europe's war declared officially at end." Patriotism and the taste of victo- ry were at hand. Also on May 3, 1945, The Advance -Times states, "In an effort to build their nation to be masters, the Nazis did not over- look much. But what they failed to appraise was the unconquerable spirit of the people of the Allied na- tions." V -E DAY ARRIVES As it became evident that victory in Europe was only weeks or days away, the Town of Wingham made plans for a celebration to mark the end of the war. From the May 10, 1945, edition: "When it was certain on Monday (May 7) that V -E Day would be proclaimed very soon, Wingham took on a festive mood and flag decorations appeared as if by mag- ic. Mayor Fred Davidson an- nounced over the radio at 3 p.m. that the celebrations would com- mence at 11 a.m. Tuesday morning at a thanksgiving service in the Wingham United Church." At 9 a.m. on the morning of May 8, 1945, Winston Churchill gave the word that the war in Europe was over and Germany had signed unconditional surrender terms. Here in Wingham, May 8 was declared a holiday and "the tempo of the celebration spirit took on a much greater turn," according to newspaper accounts. "The students of both schools pa- raded down John Street and south on the main street to Victoria, then turned about and paraded to the park where a large crowd had gath- ered. The children sang songs and the band played. Bombs were shot up into the air which exploded with great noise... "Wingham United Church was .filled to capacity for the Communi- ty Thanksgiving service...The Town Council, Wingham Legion, other veterans of the First World War and of the present war, 99th battery, Wingham High School Ca- dets, Fire Department, Wingham Boy Scouts and Cubs attended the service...After the church service, the parade marched past the ceno- taph and thence to the Armouries." People the world over ..were marking the end of the war in simi- lar fashibnw The time had come toner! start a new chapter in the history of the 20th Century wight ander ental s not st to Ger- e at rail s ar- the eri- alfa Hit- ing ally en- lin of and be is • ...A groupof veterans 1"/ S�,4. Go to .Holland for V -E Day , their wives and interest.. ed others left the Wingham Legion Hall late last month to take in V -E Day celebrations in Hol- land. The group returns tomorrow, May 11. Finally Over...Lloyd "Casey" Casemore of Wingham sits and relaxes on V -E Day, May 8, 1945, in Northern Holland. 50years... Lloyd(Ca- sey) Casemore relaxes on the same spot. Casemore, a member of the Perth Regi- ment, came up through Italy, France, and Belgium into Holland during the war and never received a scratch. k°S•��"ofd` John Currie...of the Provost Corps signs au- tographs for •Dutch school children after V -E Day. Gratitude...Civilians surround this member of the Provost Corps on his motor- cycle as The Netherlands are liberated. Happy Day...R. John Currie of Wingham, holding child, posed with a group of Dutch people when the Canadian army liberated Holland. Thousands return to Holland This month thousands of Canadi- an veterans returned to the country they helped to liberate 50 years ago, The Netherlands. In the spring of 1945, the First Canadian Army, under the com- mand of General Henry Crerar, broke through enemy ranks to liber- ate places such as Nijmegen, Groesbeck and Appeldoorn. After five long, bleak years of German occupation, the Dutch people wel- comed their liberators with an un- paralleled enthusiasm. A special bond was formed be- tween the Dutch people and their liberators, one which lasts to this day and perhaps was part of the reason that so many Dutch people chose to emigrate to this country af- ter the war. Those who have returned to Hol - and this year have returned to he- roes' welcomes. A group of over 20 from Wingham and area current- ly is in The Netherlands, taking part in ceremonies commemorating the 50th anniversary of World War Q. The local group left from the Wingham Legion Hall on Thurs- day, April 27 and will return tomor- row, May 11. While in Holland, they attended parades, services of remembrance and scenic tours of the country they helped liberate 50 years ago. So great is the gratitude of the Dutch people of Huron County that almost one year ago a group got to- gether to discuss a fitting monu- ment to honor Canada's contribu- tion to' the liberation of Holland. The committee was headed by Kase Vanden Heuvel of Goderich. to a telephone interview late last rn.onth, Vand'en,Heuvel said a foun- tain was built 25 years ago in Goderich to mark the 25th anniver- sary of the end of World War Is. However, with the 50th anniver- sary looming, it was decided a larg- er memorial should be built, The committee decided upon a fountain sculpture in the shape of Dutch tu- lips. Through the use of volunteer labor and material, Vanden Huevel estimates the total cost of project at $20,000. Without the contribution of inter- ested parties, including crane oper- ator Mery Baker of Wingham, who lifted the sculpture onto its base free of charge, the cost would have been much higher. In fact the only real cost incurred is the pump which recycles the water going through the fountain. . The memorial will be unveiled and dedicated at an official ceremo- ny on Saturday, May 20, at 1:30. p.m. Vanden Heuvel welcomes all interested parties to attend. the cere: moray. ti