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Home My WebLink AboutClinton News Record, 2015-04-22, Page 19A tribute of honour Lynda Hillman-Rapley Postmedia Network Rest assured that beyond the awards that we bestow today, the most essential thing is our duty to remem- ber, which is naturally extended to all those who took part in D -Day operations. - Ambassador Nicolas Chapuis On April 9 Zurich's John Byrne was honoured along with seven other veterans at the French Embassy in Ottawa. In total 650 veter- ans were awarded this honour to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Normandy. John William Byrne was a young man of 19 in June 1944 when he climbed aboard a landing craft in Southampton England which his fellow North Nova Scotia Highlanders and set sail for Normandy. He has given up his rank as sergeant and his safe job as a weaponry instructor to re- join an overseas regiment as a private. A month later he was sailing for Juno Beach and "a bloody encounter with the Germans." He said as far as you could see the English Channel was filled with ships of all kinds. "A lot of guys got sick, not seasick but from the fuel smell of the self-igniting meals they gave us." He and his regiment hit the beaches on what he calls " a typical June morning. It was cold and the sun was shining." "Our Canadian forces were very prominent that day." That day, as the casual- ties mounted, Byrne found himself burying the dead. "I dug the first grave the ceme- tery at Beny-sur-Mer after D -Day," he sad, "I just hap- pened to be closed to the padre when this young man was killed and I dug a grave in a large filed." "Three weeks later I came back that way for some reason and passed by the field. There was nothing but crosses as far as the eyes could see." Byrne was wounded on two occasions: on June 9, 1944, in Normandy, and on September 19, 1944, in Bou- logne. The severity of these injuries prevented him from continuing on with the cam- paign for France. Hell was not something the 15 -year-old Nova Scotia native knew much about when he joined the army in John Byrne and Ambassador Nicolas Chapuis 1940. His father was proud of him for signing up but his mother was distressed. Once he became a lance corporal at the age of 16 he decided there was no turning back. By the time he arrived in England in 1941 he was 16. He married his wife Teresa in June 1950 and they have been married 65 years this June. They have five chil- dren Keith (Lucille), Kevin (Ivy), John, Diane and Den- ise. Teresa as well as his chil- dren were at last week's cer- emony in Ottawa. Ambassador Chapuis wel- comed the veterans to the Embassy of France April 9, which was also Vimy Day. "The Battle of Vimy, in 1917, was a symbolic battle for Canada because it was the first time in the history of the Confederation that a Cana- dian contingent fought— successfully—under Cana- dian command and under the Red Ensign, Canada's flag at the time." "In 2014, in commemora- tion of the 70th anniversary of the landing operations that led to the liberation of France, it was decided that France would honour 300—a figure that has been since doubled to 650—Cana- dian veterans who took part in these operations, award- ing them the rank of Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honour, the high- est national order in the Republic of France. This campaign could never have taken place without the cooperation of the Cana- dian government: Veterans Affairs Canada contributed to the identification and ver- ification of the backgrounds Courtesy of Byrne Family of veterans," he said. The Ambassador said, "This campaign is now closed. We did all we could to honour as many veterans as possible: first by extend- ing the submission deadline by one year, then by dou- bling the number of recipi- ents. We have received many calls and letters from veter- ans who would like to receive this award. Unfor- tunately, we cannot follow through on these requests. I hope that they know that my countrymen remember and will continue to remember their dedication." Z11Il sliliL' YtWKulio l Wednesday, April 22, 2015 • News Record 19 LET'S ALL DO OUR PART! PLEASE RECYCLE OFFICE 519-482-3400 1 Albert Street, Clinton www.rlpheartland.ca To view all our listings, go to www.r pheartland.ca SIJ 111 11 1 1. inn R45FALLEPAGE e• i—ii 111I1111111•. Ned Rey 3mml Nal - f ILte. Helping you is what we do.TM 71 Kirk St., Clinton $619,500 Call Rick or Fred MLS#528113 wmal111.4 NEW PRICE 28 Elizabeth St., Bayfield $299,900 Call Richard MLS#787351 149 Victoria Terr., Clinton 5185,000 Call Rick or Fred MLS#563345 WERP- 7 - 7111 o° - NEW LISTING 35 Lee Cres., Goderich 5189,900 Call Sherry or Rick MLS#883384 NEW LISTING - 40740 Huron St., Central Huron $269,900 Call Rick or Fred MLS#419174 132 Victoria St., Clinton $99,000 Call Rick or Fred MLS#877562 tom.. 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