[Robert Bergeron]

Friends,

Hope you all had a nice Christmas with family and friends , inside in the warmth of your homes.

Our Veterans had a very harsh winter over in Holland in 44-45.

I took a ride in the Wire 5 project and took a few pictures. The chains were a necessity because of a spell of freezing rain.

Now , just imagine a minute the setting is in Holland during the winter of 44-45.

The convoy is en route on the Maple Leaf Up road to the Brigade HQ RV before the next phase of the operation.

The Jerries are entrenched , putting up rear guard actions and comitting exactions against the local populations.The civilians have been deprieved by the occupiers of the bare necessities of life. Crimes against Humanity are being comitted.

The Canadians are beginning secret negociations with the ennemy in order to resupply the famished population of Holland.

It is a Christmas without precedent in history. While the other Allied nations are rushing Germany , the Canadians are about to begin the largest humanitarian operation of the war while still fighting feverishly an ennemy that will not surrender at any cost. Canadian lives are lost by the hundreds in order to reach the Dutch and feed them.

The first Canadian Division is now in play. They have arrived from Italy where they were bloodied and they will join the fight in Holland in the New Year.

The 3 rd Canadian Div is in the fight ever since D Day. The Sherbrooke Fusilier and the Sask Light's are the vanguard of the advance . They now need to regroup, resupply before pushing on in very difficult conditions.

We are very lucky to be Canadians and being able to enjoy freedom and wealth away from war especialy at Christmas. In great part because of the sacrifice of our veterans.

That's why this is the time of the year i think of our veterans the most.

Thank you Sgt Fowlis , 27 th Armoured Regt ( Sherbrooke Fusilier Regt ) wherever you are now.