"O Canada, we stand on guard for thee," valor remembered, Juno Beach

On June 6, 1944, some 21,000 Canadian troops led by its 3rd Infantry Division stormed Juno Beach at Normandy, while American and British forces struck at other main target beachheads. This year, after a long fund-raising and marketing effort led by a Juno Beach veteran, Garth Webb, now 84, the Canadian prime minister unveiled and opened the Juno Beach Centre overlooking the beach-landing zone that so many gallant Canadian warriors assaulted 59 years ago. This is Canada’s first D-Day memorial. As Canada’s neighbor, ally, and friend, we Americans should pause to salute her courageous sons who, like ours, died for freedom. Our photo gallery here tries to do that.

June 8, 2003

Sometimes, we Americans give our Canadian neighbors short shrift. We shouldn’t. They have been terrific neighbors. It is with that in mind that we were attracted to an AP headline we spotted yesterday: “First Canadian D-Day Memorial Inaugurated.” The article was done by Kim Housego, and originated from a place called Courseulles-sur-Mer, France.

Ms. Housego began her article this way:

“Grayed with age but standing proud, nearly 700 Canadian veterans who fought their way ashore in the D-Day offensive to free France from the Nazis returned 59 years later Friday to open the first Normandy memorial to their sacrifice.”

As you might suspect, the description of Canadian veterans “standing proud” caused us to dig in deeper. We learned some things, one of which is they have every right to stand proud.

Planned invasion assaults, British area of responsibility
presented by Britannica. com, "Normandy"

June 6 is the anniversary of the D-Day Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied continental Europe, at Normandy, France. Normandy was a big place, a long suite of beach-heads. The map above shows only the British area of responsibility, which included Gold, Juno, and Sword Beaches and the Orne River. Immediately to the west, or to the left on this map, were the American areas of responsibility, which included the Cotentin Peninsula and Omaha and Utah beaches.

In the British area of responsibility, the British attacked Gold and Sword beaches and the Orne River and, in the middle of those two, the Canadians attacked Juno Beach.

Some 21,000 Canadian troops landed at Juno Beach on June 6, 1944. It was about six miles wide and straddled both sides of a small fishing port known as Courseulles-sur-Mer, a resort town and marina.

The Canadian 3rd Infantry Division of the First Canadian Army got the call for Juno Beach. The Canadians were in the center of the British front and were to cut through and form a link between the two British beaches.

The Britannica.com presentation on Normandy takes you from the buildup through the invasion and break out, and we will lead you to that in the right column on this page.

Reserve troops of the 9th Brigade come ashore at Nan sector in Bernières, after the initial assault by the 8th Brigade.
National Archives of Canada; neg. no. PA 1370B

For now, we are concentrating on the Canadians. The Canadians earned their spurs at Juno, that’s for sure. Their attack was delayed by bad weather and rough seas so they arrived three hours after optimum low tide. The result was they had to endure beach obstacles and mines that they could have avoided if they arrived at optimum low tide. They lost about 30 percent of their landing craft, either destroyed or damaged. In addition, their troops waded ashore without receiving overwhelming fire, but then they entered German traps known as “enfilade killing zones.” An “enfilade” is a position in which troops are exposed to gunfire along the length of their formation. The assault teams lost roughly 50 percent of their troops. Company B of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles was left with one officer and 25 men.

Troops of the Régiment de la Chaudière, 8th Brigade,
push inland toward Bény-sur-Mer.
National Archives of Canada; neg. no. PAB 1436

But the Canadians fought on and fought their way inland. They linked up with the British 50th Division from Gold Beach but were unable to link up with the British 3rd Division on the other side. As a result, a German Panzer division was able to counterattack. The Canadian press reports that 340 died, 574 were wounded, and 47 were taken as POWs. We have, however, seen other accounts that say Canada took 1,200 casualties in the assault.

There were other Canadian forces in the overall operation besides the 3rd Division. The 2nd Canadian Armored Brigade supported the 3rd. The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion integrated with the British 6th Airborne Division and dropped along with their British allies farther inland. Royal Canadian Navy minesweepers helped clear the lanes through which the entire force crossed the English Channel. Canadian naval guns helped pound the landing zones and Canadian landing ships and assault landing craft were employed in the assault. Royal Canadian Air Force bombers attacked German batteries and Canadian fighter aircraft attacked targets farther inland.

With that bit of history under our belts, lets fast-forward to June 6, 2003. This date marks the unveiling of the first Canadian D-Day memorial. The new monument is at Juno Beach.

Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien prepares to lay a wreath at Courseulles-sur-Mer during the inauguration of the Juno Beach museum on the 59th anniversary of the D-Day landings.
Photo credit: Valery Hache, AFP

Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and his wife attended the unveiling in France, and he said this:

“Until now, there has been no Canadian memorial to mark these achievements. At the Juno Beach Center, our grandchildren and their grandchildren will learn what their forebears did for freedom.”

Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien stands at attention with Second World War and D-Day veteran Garth Webb, right, who started and completed the Juno Beach Center project, during its opening ceremony in Courseulles, France on June 6, 2003. Photo credit: Tom Hanson, AP

One of the modern heroes of Canada was a fellow named Garth Webb, shown standing by his prime minister above. Back in 1944, Webb was a second lieutenant and he fought at Juno Beach. He is now an young looking 84-year old veteran, and this time he led a group known as the Juno Beach Association. The Juno Beach Center cost $10 million, and Webb's crew had to raise the money. Memorials like this just don't happen. They need aggressive advocates and unrelenting fund-raisers.

Mr. Webb spent years raising the money for the monument. France contributed $1.2 million, Canada $3 million, and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and British Columbia contributed $1 million each. Other provinces made smaller gifts. The remaining $3.8 million came from school collections, business donations and from individuals. Wal-Mart in Canada gave a tremendous boost to the financially fragile project, raising $1.5 million and giving it another $2 million in publicity, central to any campaign like this. Wal-Mart’s marketing theme was “One brick at a time." The retail company advertised at all of its 213 stores across Canada. Bricks were sold for $250 apiece. Regrettably, except for Wal-Mart and a handful of others, the Canadian corporate sector proved to be a great disappointment and did not respond with donations, something Canadian vets and their families will always remember.

Retired Canadian General Lewis McKenzie has commented:

“In any other Western country, this would have been done 40 or 50 years ago."

Well, maybe so. Such projects are often harder to get off the ground than one might think. They demand great tenacity. We have seen this in the US as well.

But set that aside, because 59 years ago this day in June was one where 21,000 gallant Canadian warriors were called on to invade German-occupied France and they did what they had to do.

Onlookers watch as the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion parachute from a Hercules aircraft to commemorate the first D-Day landings by the same battalion at the Canadian war cemetery Beny-Sur-Mer, 5 km (3 miles) from Juno Beach, in Reviers, France on June 6, 2003. Photo credit: Tom Hanson, AP

Some 1,000 Canadian veterans and a few thousand other Canadians and area residents attended the official inauguration of Canada’s Juno Beach Museum Centre. A Spitfire did a fly-by, and Canadian parachutists dropped out of the sky carrying a Canadian flag for the center. There was also an airdrop of 43,000 poppies representing Canada’s dead from WWII.

The Juno center sits on 1.56 hectares of land just above Juno Beach. It is a titanium metal and glass structure in the shape of a maple leaf, the Canadian national symbol. The new center contains displays and exhibits commemorating Canada’s participation in WWII. There is a Canadian cemetery at Beny-sur-Mer, about 5 km from Juno, nearby where 2,044 Canadian war dead are buried.

This photo gallery presentation is our way of saluting our Canadian friends, neighbors, and allies.

"Canadian Soldier I Am"

World War II and D-Day veteran Roy Shaw, from Barrie, Ontario, salutes his fallen comrades at the Canadian war cemetery Beny-sur-Mer, 5 km (3 miles) from Juno Beach, in Reviers, France on Friday, June 6, 2003. The cemetery which has over 2000 Canadian soldiers from the Normandy invasions, was part of a ceremony marking the opening of the Juno Beach Center Friday on the 59th anniversary of the D-Day landings. Photo credit: Tom Hanson, AP-CP

A Canadian honor guard member stands by a memorial sculpture 'Remembrance and Renewal' created by Canadian sculptor Colin Gibson during opening ceremony of Juno Beach center, June 6, 2003. Photo credit: Pascal Rossignol, Reuters

Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien (L) is escorted by French Prime Minister Jean Pierre Raffarin, during a WWII Canadian veteran military parade, at the end of opening ceremony of Juno Beach center. Photo credit: Pascal Rossignol, Reuters

A WWII Canadian veteran military parade at the end of the opening ceremony of Juno Beach center in Courseulles sur Mer. Photo credit: Pascal Rossignol, Reuters

Captain McGregor, of the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, poses in front of a wall with the name of WWII veterans, at the opening ceremony of Juno Beach center. Photo credit: Pascal Rossignol, Reuters

WWII Canadian veteran poses with Prime Minister Chrétien with a thumbs up at the end of opening ceremony of Juno Beach Centre. Photo credit: Pascal Rossignol, Reuters

WWII and D-Day veteran Marcel Gauthier, right, originally from Niagara Falls, Ontario, and currently living in Belgium, comforts his longtime friend Maurice Stefens, originally from Edmonton and also living in Belgium, as he breaks down upon entering the Canadian war cemetery Beny-Sur-Mer, some 3 miles from Juno Beach in Reviers, France on June 5, 2003. The cemetery has over 2,000 Canadian war dead from the Normandy invasions. Photo credit: Tom Hanson, AP

Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and his wife Aline look at some of the headstones at the Canadian war cemetery Beny-Sur-Mer. Photo credit: Tom Hanson, AP

Children inside the Juno Beach Center on June 7, 2003. One concept driving this memorial is that it should be “A Learning Centre and Tribute to Canadians.” Photo credit: Franck Prevel, AP

Visitors watch displays inside a room of the Juno Beach Center on June 7, 2003. Photo credit: Franck Prevel, AP

Valor remembered.
Photo credit: Tom Hanson, AP

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Opening photo credit: A Canadian honor guard member stands by a memorial sculpture 'Remembrance and Renewal' created by Canadian sculptor Colin Gibson during opening ceremony of Juno Beach center in Courseulles sur Mer, June 6, 2003. U.S, Canadian and British troops fought their way ashore 59 years ago to liberate France from German Nazi occupation. Pascal Rossignol, Reuters

Official Lyrics of Canada's national anthem

O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!

From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

POINTS OF INTEREST TO EXPLORE

"Normandy", presented by Britannica.com, with a special focus on Juno Beach.

Canada and the Second World War 1939-1945, Valour Remembered, presented by Vetgerans Affairs Canada. There is much to view here. We recommend that you take a look at "The Raid on Dieppe," which was a "trial run" at invading the mainland. The Canadians took a terrible pounding in this raid, which some contend was very poorly planned by the British High Command.

Juno Beach Centre Official Opening, June 6, 2003, presented by Veterans Affairs Canada

Juno Beach Centre, presented by the Juno Bach Association