Reaction To D-Day from the Canadian Perspective

Reaction To D-Day from the Canadian Perspective (Canadian History)

This is my reaction to D-Day from the Canadian Perspective

In this video I react to Canadian history by looking at the Canadian army and military in WW2 by looking at the Canadian role in D-Day.

[flynncrawford]

Sir Winston Churchill said " If I had Canadian soldiers, American technology and British officers, I would rule the world"

[loganvandyk]

My dad immigrated to Canada in 1953 when he was 4. They chose Canada because of the heroic acts of the Canadians during the liberation of the Netherlands

[nightwolf]

Everyone forgets about Canada, when it comes to what Canadian really did. I am proud to be Canadian 🇨🇦

[scottvillett]

My Grand Father...a proud Scotsman and Sargent Major in the Kings army during WWII....was so impressed with Canadian soldiers that when the war ended he left Britain and moved to Canada where he continued his service in the military and spent the next 10 years training Canadian soldiers at the end of his military career he joined Canada post believing that he needed to serve his new country as a show of gratitude and pride as a new Canadian. don't seem to think that way anymore but I always saw it as a major sign of respect that after his experience fighting shoulder to shoulder with Canadian soldiers all those years ago he was inspired to leave his home and serve the country he had so much respect for

[adrianmcgrath]

Unlike other beaches, Juno was spared the amount of pre-invasion bombing and naval salvos delivered elsewhere, because there were too many French citizens there, meaning the towns which were heavily defended by German garrisons were relatively untouched when the Canadians landed.
I have watched many accounts of the day, and in every telling - including English and American, the Canadians were ordered to stop their advance on D-Day. They were advancing so quickly that they risked leaving US and UK flanks unprotected - the Germans could have snuck in behind the Canadian advance and attacked US and UK troops.
As the maps show in this video, Canadians had covered more miles coming from Juno than the UK had, coming from Swordfish - and despite having to deal with urban warfare on the way.
Given the fact that Canadians were told to halt, because other forces couldn’t keep up, it feels a little unfair to suggest that the Canadians 'failed to meet their objective' especially when the Germans had fled. They could have just strolled in and taken it, if not ordered to stay where they were

[kenp]

When I was about 10 years old, my uncles on my mother’s side of the family were at our house for supper. They were having a conversation with my father in the living room. I asked if my dad remembered where he was during D-Day since we had just learned about it in school that week. My dad said he was in the English Channel issuing orders to fire 2000 lb. shells on German beach positions. My uncle who was in the Canadian Army at the time asked, “There were Greeks at Normandy on D-Day?” “Sure” said my dad, who was a Lt. Cmdr in the Greek Royal Navy. “We were trying to help the army get ashore by shelling the German positions.” “WHAT BEACH!?” asked my uncle. “The Canadian beach, I don’t recall the name they gave it.” “JUNO BEACH!” said my uncle. “That’s right.” said my father. My uncle added “I was on that beach, struggling to get ashore, it was Hell.” They talked some more. My uncle called his sister (my mother) into the room. Looking at my dad he said "Why didn't you tell me he was at Juno?" My mother looked at my father and said "What! You were at Juno beach?" My uncle explained. Then she said to my uncle, "He never talks about the war unless you ask him specific question." After, my mother (a CWAC during the war) called us to the kitchen for supper and my uncle got up, walked over to my father and hugged him. “Let’s go eat brother.” My dad was shooting at German positions not knowing that his future brother-in-law, who he would meet 15 years later, was trying to get on shore.

[michaelhamm]

My grandfather, Trooper Gerald Francis Hamm, landed in Normandy in July 1944. He was 31 years old. Although he left Canada in 1942 as a member of the Halifax Rifles, while in England, he was transferred into the legendary South Alberta Regiment, equipped with the latest Sherman Firefly Tank. He fought through Caen and into the Falaise Gap, where his Company Commander, Maj Currie won the Victoria Cross at Saint Lambert sur Dives. They chased the Germans across France and into Belgium. Sadly, on 12 Sep 1944, just after the Battle of Moerbrugge, his Squadron was advancing towards Lekkerhoek, when SS units took out his tank with a Panzerfaust. He is buried in the Agedem Canadian War Cemetery in Eeklo, Belgium. His son (my father) joined the Royal Canadian Navy in 1957 as a Clearance Diver. Sadly, he too was killed in tragic accident at the age of 34 while serving aboard HMCS Granby. I joined the Canadian Forces at 20 years old, served 30 years with them, and retired at 50 years old, a third generation Canadian soldier, and the only one to reach my pension. In 2019, my son and I flew to France for the 75th Anniversary of D-Day Celebrations at Juno Beach. From there, we spent the next 10 days following my grandfathers battle route, all the way through every town, to his gravesite in Eeklo, where I introduced the fourth generation Hamm boy to his great grandfather. I am extremely proud of what my father and grandfather sacrificed for this nation. Lest we Forget.

[burlingtondigs]

My dad landed at Juno . . as his landing craft got closer to the beach he asked his wise older commanding officer, a man of 26 yrs of age, my Dad was 22, if he had any last suggestions . . . his CO said, "yea, run like hell" . . my dad would always chuckle when he told that story . . . but he did say he had never run faster in his life to get to the wall. Thanks to all the brave men who stormed all those beaches on D-Day. We owe everything we have to them.

[lynnroney]

For some reason we🇨🇦 are overlooked in so many battles that changed everything. One that is rarely talked about is the Battle of the Scheldt Estuary. We were to slog through a “swamp” and huge field of very deep mud to help take the Port at Antwerp. It was an unbelievably tough battle. Stuck in the mud, we were a “shooting gallery”. But take it we did. As a nurse who has an extensive knowledge of the Canadian contributions to WWII it always made a big difference to my patients that I could talk to them about it. I have so many amazing stories I will hold in my heart forever.

[Retired]

I was a member of the Canadian Scottish when it was a Militia unit in the 60's. They were named the 16th Bn in WW1. Their home base is Victoria, BC. Motto was: Deas gu cath "Ready for the Fray."

[KathrynLabuik]

I worked for the Health Authority in Saskatchewan, providing homecare services for seniors.
I served many veterans of WW2... sadly most have passed now, but I was privileged to meet and assist these elders.
Truly, The Greatest Generation, as they are referred to in Canada

[michaelhilborn]

My dad was a member of the 1st. Canadian Parachute Battalion.
He arrived in France around 02:00 on the morning of the 6th.
My parents were married on the first anniversary of that day in London.

[alexdoyon-vachon]

My grandfather's battleship went down off the coast of Morocco. He spent 5 months in a hospital in UK. Didn't speak a lick of English but once war ended, he reached out for an english tutor who ended up being my Irish grandmother. I have all his gear. I am not religious God bless

[ironsightsreaper]

My great grandfather and his 4 brothers all served Canada during World War II. He served in the navy and his destroyer was sunk in the St Lawrence River by a German U boat, but he survived thankfully. However one of his brothers was killed in the Battle of Monte Cassino in Italy. Grateful and thankful for their service.

[geecee]

I'm currently teaching about Canada 's participation in (and many contributions to) the Second World War. Ironically, today's lesson was about Juno Beach and the road to Germany through the Netherlands. I'm the son of Italian immigrants but am a very proud Canadian, largely due to the courage and sacrifices of the men and women who fought to preserve our way of life!

[Mark-sjlv]

My Uncle, Gregory H. McCann, was in the North Shore Regiment. He talked to me about it and it sounded like hell on earth the moment the call to disembark from the landing craft until he was wounded in the battle for the Gap, as he called it. He had a great deal of "survivors guilt", and made me promise to never forget his brethren that were "forever young". I never will, since he left this world for Heaven in 2004, I have never missed a Remembrance Day, I think about him often. I can just see the crazy S.O.B. tearing towards the enemy, in the name of Canada and Freedom, and only caring about his friends beside him, the family he left behind and the way freedom must be for all. I'm his favorite Nephew by far and I'm half German. But I am so proud of him and every other man, woman and child that fought for what they thought was right, on both sides of my family. God bless us all

[keithpeden]

Hey Mert: The Canadian military has a lot of Scottish related regiments, particularly back in WW2. As a Scot yourself, you can also be proud as many of those Canadians were probably related to your ancestors. They have been in Canada since the fur trade days. Their bravery is reflected in that John Cleese story about threat levels... "there is a reason the Scots have been on the front line of the British Army for the last 300 years"

[SgtStuka]

A little late your video, but I actually went to a High school named Juno Beach Academy and our graduations we flew to Juno Beach France to pay our respects and learn our Canadian history first hand. It was a semi-military and public school. An alternative program to reduce bullying with fair discipline and treatment of students while focusing heavily on Canadian history. My Principle was from the Calgary Highlanders regiment along with some of the staff being x-military from other branches.
I ended up working for a couple years after graduation in the Military Museums in my city where I helped guide people around the exhibits or help in the collections department when they were re-organizing many artifacts. But the best part was working with some of the veteran volunteers we had and hearing their stories, which some were always more open discussing it to staff then random civilians and the stories they told vs the people they were then was mind boggling.

I'm always happy to share what I've learned or see any part of Canadian history talked about, some of it I'm proud of and others I'm ashamed of, but that just reminds me anyone who isn't ashamed of some of their history doesn't actually know their own history. Canada had a reputation for getting the hardest tasks done in war, at any cost. Juno Beach was just one of many moments Canada proved itself. Though the one battle that defined Canada on the world stage as a force to fear was the Battle of Vimy Ridge in the First World War, worth learning about if anyone is interested in Canadian History, and the monument their today is eerie and somber.

[michaelgray]

My dad joined the Canadian Air Force and one uncle joined the Navy and served in the North Atlantic. They returned home. My mother's little brother joined the army but sadly died at Dieppe at age 20. Jimmy Findlay's photo has pride of place in my living room. Never forgotten.

[marcwright]

My grandfather was part of one of the first Special Ops teams that the Canadian Navy employed, and he was part of a covert mission to scout out a landing point the night before D-Day buy sea canoe