www.militarysupport.ca 19 Sore feet and aching hips were temporarily forgotten as these old soldiers defied their years and were young once more. Two young blonde Dutch women, in their twenties, with similar thoughts stood at the roadside putting their arms around the old soldiers as they passed and planted heartfelt kisses on the old boys, which, I am certain, recalled episodes fifty years before. There among the veterans was my old friend Frank. A Bren Gunner in the Westminster Regiment, Frank Whitford was not even twenty years old and had been in combat for almost a year in the Italian Campaign already, when his regiment, along with all the Canadians fighting in Italy, were moved to the Netherlands in March, 1945. Frank spent the next several weeks, usually cold and wet, fighting in the last actions of the war in Northwest Europe. While always very proud of his service in Italy, Frank experienced, and never forgot the gratitude extended by the Dutch in those last weeks of the war. That is why he returned to the Netherlands to attend the 40th and 45th anniversaries and would later attend the 55th and 60th commemorations but, I know, on that special 50th anniversary day in Apeldoorn in May 1995 my friend Frank experienced his finest hour. Before the parade the veterans assembled and formed up in their old units awaiting their turn to “march on.” Frank made his way through the cheering mob and various parade elements to find the 5th Division assembly area. The division, once known as “Hoffmeister’s Mighty Maroon Machine” in recognition of their wartime commander Maj. General Hoffmeister and the formation’s maroon coloured battle patch, was the last to march in the parade. Frank later told me how he approached a group of 5th Division veterans somewhere at the front and asked, “who is in charge of this outfit.” When nobody came forth, Frank, decisively announced, “ok you guys, fall in behind me.” And so that is how my friend Frank came to lead the entire 5th Division through Apeldoorn that magical day. Of course I did not know this until I watched the event live on television. There he was, ramrod straight, medals gleaming, his parade stick under his arm leading hundreds of his old comrades. While I was not surprised to see him in the parade, I did not expect him to have a leading role! Later, when he returned to Canada, I asked him just how he happened to have that parade stick with him. With a twinkle in his eye and slightest of grins on THE LIBERATOR ENJOYING DUTCH HOSPITALITY, MAY 2005
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM0NTk1OA==