VE day

Hello Everyone,

Well, I still read the papers from back-home area and found this story in the Selkirk Journal ... go to the link to see the story AND a photograph of this gentleman who was there personally and has his own memories of VE Day happenings. I've watched many movies lately about the Canadians actions and part on liberating Holland ... to "read something" is one thing ... or even to see still photos ... but to see live coverage/footage and the people going through everything, is quite powerful.

I say ... more and more all the time ... thank god for the actions of all the allied forces and what they stopped ... these men and women are the "giants whose shoulders we walk on" (that little phrase is not original, but it comes to mind for me often when thinking about WW2 Vets especially) The more I learn of that war ... well ... "never again" is certainly a desperately wished for thing ...

Karmen

http://www.selkirkjournal.com/story.php?id=160642

Witness to history
Selkirk man recalls his front row seat to German surrender

By Mark T. Buss
Friday May 13, 2005
Kreamer displays his medals, including England’s Military Medal (far left) which was presented to him personally by King George in London.
Photo by Mark T. Buss
Selkirk Journal — The 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War was celebrated and documented in media reports in Canada, the U.S. and overseas this past week, but a Selkirk resident is able to discuss the events of May 1945 not as an academic or history buff, but as a witness.
While the picture of Gen. Dwight Eisenhower holding up the pens used to sign German surrender documents in a schoolhouse in Rheims, France has become synonymous with the end of the Second World War, Lloyd Kreamer has a very different picture in his head of how the Canadian war effort attained its mandate thousands of miles away.
Kreamer was a sniper and scout with the Princes Patricia Canadian Light Infantry, who on May 5, 1945, was on hand to witness Col.-Gen. Johannes Blaskowitz formally surrender the remaining 117,000 German troops in the Netherlands to Canadian Lt.-Gen. Charles Foulkes.
The event took place at the 1st Canadian Corps HQ in the lobby of the Hotel De Wereld in Wageningen, while Kreamer watched from just outside the building.
“I remember the jeeps pulling up and (Gen. Foulkes) went in,” Kreamer said waving a hand. “And then I remember the Germans drove up and they did it right there in the lobby.
“We knew it was going to end soon but I didn’t think I’d be there to see it.”
Kreamer found himself a witness to history as part of the campaign of the First Canadian Army, who in September 1944 were ordered to help clear the heavily fortified Scheldt estuary and open the port of Antwerp.
In a bid to dislodge enemy resistance, the Canadians forged ahead and fought over flooded ground losing more than 6,300 soldiers.
The fighting ended after a month of bitter battle. Although the cost was high, the Allies had accomplished their goal and the route for the final advance into Germany was clear.
With the Netherlands under German control for four years, Kreamer said he couldn’t believe his eyes when his platoon rolled in to Apeldoorn, Holland in November 1944 and immediately began distributing supplies and food. He remembers the bravery of the people who had nearly been starved to death and how grateful they were to be liberated.
“The only good thing I remember about the war was feeding the kids and the looks on their faces,” Kreamer said. “We gave what we could but we didn’t have much.”

Nineteen-year-old
Joining the PPCLI in 1940 as a 19-year-old, Kreamer survived the bombing of London and landed in Sicily in 1943.
Finding himself in harms way on a daily basis as his company pushed north for the next two years, Kreamer was awarded several medals during his tenure including the Military Medal, an English medal he earned for bravery and gallantry during the battle of the Hitler Line.
In that battle his platoon commander and non-commissioned officers were injured leaving Kreamer to assume command and work in unswept mine fields to bring out casualties.
The fighting was so intense only 200 soldiers survived out of a platoon of 700.
For his efforts, Kreamer was elevated from the rank of Private to Sergeant and King George personally presented the Military Medal to him in London.
Although his military odyssey was over with the German surrender, Kreamer said he and the bulk of his comrades celebrated in silence.
“I didn’t do too much,” Kreamer said. “I’d lost more than half of my platoon on the trip from Italy to Holland so it was hard to get excited.”
This past weekend, some 200,000 Dutch citizens choked the picturesque streets of Apeldoorn to commemorate the 60th anniversary of their liberation.
Parades and ceremonies of remembrance took place in every provincial and territorial capital to honour Second World War veterans and mark Victory in Europe (VE) Day, but the solemn spirit still permeates for Kreamer today as he did not take part.
Because the Dutch have always shown their gratitude, Kreamer said he went back for the 50th anniversary.
“There are some wonderful people over there,” Kreamer said.