HIP HIP HIP HOORAY

On the occasion of the ceremony of the 79th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Juno Beach Centre in the presence of Mrs. Joya DONNELLY, Minister-Counsellor for Political and Cultural Affairs – Chargé d’Affaires acting at the Embassy of Canada, Mr. Julien MINICONI, Sub-Prefect of Coutances, Mrs. Anne-Marie PHILIPPEAUX, Mayor of Courseulles, Mrs. Michèle BOISVERT, General Delegate of Quebec and Mrs. Isabelle BRAIS, wife of the Prime Minister of Quebec, the VAdm Scott BISHOP, Canadian Military Representative to NATO, Colonel Jonathan WARREN, British Air Attaché for the United Kingdom, Commander James CRAVEN of the United States Embassy, ​​Ms. Rebecca DOYLE, Counselor to the Department of Veterans Affairs of the Australian Embassy, ​​Lieutenant-Colonel Daniel KUCHERHAN, Deputy Defense Attaché of Canada in France, numerous French and Canadian elected officials, personalities from the civilian and military worlds, France-Canada friendship associations, Canadian families as well as a group of students from the Canadian Battlefields Foundation, a group of students from the Quintefeuille College in Courseulles-sur-Mer, cadets from the Gendarmerie and a large audience.

Nearly 500 people were welcomed by Mark CLEARIHUE, representative of the Juno Beach Centre Canada Association – Honorary Colonel of the 7th Toronto Regiment of the Royal Canadian Artillery.

Young Canadian Guides introduced the Juno Beach Centre. Originally from British Columbia, Newfoundland via Alberta, Ontario or Quebec, they form the team of guides at the Juno Beach Centre in this year of the 20th anniversary of the museum.

Mrs. Anne-Marie PHILIPPEAUX, Mayor of Courseulles-sur-Mer gave a speech, followed by Mr. Julien MINICONI, Sub-Prefect of Coutances and Mrs. Joya DONNELLY – Minister-Counsellor for Political and Cultural Affairs – Chargé d’Affaires ad interim at the Embassy of Canada.

On a gallery of memories, the students of the Quintefeuille college de Courseulles have hung photos of the events in which students of this college have participated for 20 years at the museum.

Prior to the commemorative act, British veteran Albert FENTON was introduced to the public. Landed on June 7, 1944 with the Royal Army Service Corps attached to the 2nd Canadian Armored Brigade, he drove a 15-ton truck to unload equipment at the port of Arromanches before joining Amiens, Antwerp and Germany where he took part to the evacuation of the Belsen concentration camp.

After the Last Post, the Silence and Reveil, the reading of the Act of Remembrance was made by Lieutenant-Colonel Bruno BERGERON of the Régiment de la Chaudière and Arlene MASON, daughter of Richard LA CROIX, paratrooper killed on June 6, 1944 in the sector of the Anglo-Canadian airborne troops.

The Promise of Remembrance of Youth was read in French by a student from Quintefeuille College and a young girl from the Canadian Battlefields Foundation.

Reverend Tom WILSON proceeded to a blessing before the laying of wreaths, which took place around the statue “Remembrance and Renewal” and before the national anthems.

Thank you to the families who came from Canada to honour their relatives, the students of the Canadian Battlefield Foundation and all the Canadians who were at the Juno beach Centre today.