email to Fred Fisher,

from Jim Bunting,
Born in Toronto, August 15th, 1946
Former Canadian Forces soldier, (1966 to 1996).
The 48th Highlanders of Canada,
4th mechanised infantry brigade,
stationed in West Germany.
Volunteer guide at the Canadian War Plane Heritage -
Museum, Hamilton International Airport,
 www.warplane.com
Jim Bunting holds a PhD in  Canadian  military history
from the University of Toronto

 

   
 

Most people from the Netherlands are  very well educated about their history in WW2 and the special relationship between their country and mine. As a former Canadian Forces soldier, I can testify to their extraordinary hospitality, while I was a part of our 4th mechanised infantry brigade, stationed in West  Germany. On a annual leave period I spent 2 weeks tracing the path of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division, during the winter and spring of 44/45 thru Holland. Although we were in civilian clothes, our CF private motor vehicle plates were a dead give away as to our nationality. We couldn't spend a cent there, and we were "invited home for supper ", almost every day that we were in the country.
 

     
   

Every year, the  kids who turn ten that year,  spend a whole year, individually tending to a Canadian soldier's grave, and learning about his life and death.  Although there are massive war graves cemeteries in Holland, there are also many small sites with as few as 3 graves in them, and many are in the yards of private homes, all carefully maintained and marked with small bronze  markers on the walls or the house entrance gate.

My old original  CF  unit, the 48th Highlanders of Canada, has a "tribute " organisation in Holland, who are a WW2 re-enactors group, who parade in authentic WW2 battledress and kilts, and are  known as " The Pipes and Drums of the 48th Highlanders of Holland ". They are officially endorsed by the Colonel of the  48th and they have been equipped and trained by our current P & D staff. They play at numerous events in Holland every year, and have appeared in Canada with the 48th's Pipes and Drums in Remembrance Day events, here. Here is a link to their website in Holland.
http://www.48th-highlanders.nl
Click the "Canadian version " to get it
in the English language, not Dutch ( grin ).
How about that for "remembering the Canadians "?

Jim Bunting. Toronto .