Then and Now pictures: IJMUIDEN Holland

[Robert Bergeron]

It is indeed a great series of pictures Alex and thank-you for posting them.

I was touched by memories and events of the war even if i lived in Canada and was born in 1960.

I have an uncle in New-Brunswick ( my mother's brother ) who served in the North Shore Regiment during the war. I only realized what he had been trough during the war once he had died.

In my mother's village , Baker Brook New Brunswick while i was about 12 , i met a gentleman named Morneau who was missing a hand.He was the caretaker of the skating rink. I was visiting my grandmother and really did'nt know he was a veteran so I asked him what had happened with his hand.

He directly and nicely answered that he had his hand blown off by a German booby trap set up in a child's toy while picking it up in Holland during the war.He thanked me for asking and we became friends . He told me his story of going through France, Belgium and finally how it all came to an end in Holland.

People in Canada were touched by the war but even more when the guys came home .

Thanks for remembering their sacrifices Alex .

Robert

[Alex van de Wetering]

Robert,

I couldn't agree more. Hearing the stories of veterans or reading eye-witness accounts really shows the sacrifices made by these men.



Two then and now pictures taken in Rijssen, very close to Holten, also in the eastern part of Holland.

The third picture was taken in Delden. The picture of the two(!) Defrocked Priests is a personal favorite of mine. Did anyone ever see a better quality print of this picture? ( I presume it's Canadian archives , but I am not sure...)

Alex

[Alex van de Wetering]

I was in my old hometown Haarlem a few weeks ago....and had to wait a bit....so took some more "now" pictures at the edge of the city centre.

There is a bunch of good Liberation (vehicle related) pictures in the Kennemerland Archives; attached you will find three of them. All three were taken near the "Houtplein" area. The large building was the old "Sportfondsen" swimming pool where we used to swim with school. It was broken down somewhere in the early 90's, I think.


Alex

[Robert Bergeron]

Very good .

Keep them coming Alex.

If you ever see this tank in one of your streets in the archives , please post it.

It has a special place in my heart.

Happy New Year and all the best to you and your family.