www.militarysupport.ca 17 In cities and towns across the Netherlands, “Welcome Again” Committees ensured that every veteran would be looked after. The returning liberators were treated like the heroes they were. Most of old soldiers were “adopted” by Dutch families and invited into their homes to stay for the duration of their visit. A week of commemorative events culminated with one of the most magnificent televised spectacles I have ever witnessed. One of the key events of that week long tribute twenty years ago was a parade through the streets of Apeldoorn. This “smallish” city located just north of busy and bustling Arnhem is normally a quiet place. But in May, 1995 those 10, 000 veterans gathered in Apeldoorn for a parade, the likes of which will never be seen again. With a regular population of just over 150,000, the streets swelled with an estimated 350,000 cheering Dutch. They all came to see the Liberators again. What began as a parade soon resembled more of a “love-in” as it was hard to separate spectator from veteran. The old soldiers were organized into their old divisions with the 1st Division in the lead, followed by the 2nd, 3rd, 4th Armoured, and 5th Armoured Divisions. The parade snaked through the people packed streets for hours; it simply took that long to get through. The atmosphere was euphoric and I recall thinking then that I was witnessing something that would never be, could never be seen again. Some scenes forever etched in my memory include mothers literally handing their babies over to the veterans just so that their child could have the honour of being held by a Liberator. Trays of beer eagerly passed over the heads of the spectators into the hands of the marching and, seemingly always thirsty, veterans. MY FRIEND FRANK AND ME FRANK VISITS HIS UNCLE’S HEADSTONE AT DURY, FRANCE IN 1999 DUTCH POSTCARD FRANK BROUGHT HOME IN 1945 - THE SENTIMENT HAS NOT CHANGED
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