By Melanie Jacob
Journal Editor
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In 2004, Terry Brown sat and watched Peter Mansbridge cover the 60th anniversary D-Day ceremonies on CBC. It was at that moment that he vowed to attend those same ceremonies ten years later, and so the journey began.
"I placed that in my bucket list of things I wanted to do. I wanted to visit those places my dad and other Canadian veterans were engaged in to secure our peace and freedom," said Brown in a written report of his journey. "Growing up, my dad never spoke to me about his experiences in the war, but I do forever remember him sitting on the living room couch every Remembrance Day watching the Remembrance Day television coverage, lost in thought, deeply silent."
In August 2013, Brown began his quest online for escorted battle tours happening the next year. He came across the Queen's Own Rifles 70th Anniversary of D-Day tours, which was a 14-day guided bus tour visiting places such as Vimy Ridge, Dieppe, Passchendaele, Ypres, Falaise Gap, Juno Beach, and Normandy.
His wife wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea of spending 14 days visiting cemeteries since she wasn't exactly enamored with war history, nor was she familiar with any of the spots they'd be visiting. Nevertheless, she gave Brown her support and soon came to appreciate the trip.
"It did not take her long after the start of our trip to become totally engaged in the picture taking and the camaraderie enjoyed by one and all on our 51-person group," wrote Brown.
By day three of their trip, Brown and his wife were at Beaumont Hamel. This spot is a commune in northern France that saw heavy combat, especially during the Battle of Somme. The village there was almost completely destroyed by 1918.
At 8 a.m. the next day, the group was off to Roclincourt Military Cemetary, located on the outskirts of Arras, France.
"Our first stop in Roclincourt ended up way out in the middle of a field surrounded by bright red poppies with no cemetery to be found anywhere nearby," wrote Brown. "After checking a couple more maps, we got turned around and finally ended up at the correct place."
Apparently, it was the final resting place for a tour member's great uncle, so she took some time to speak about him after doing much research on him. A moment of personal reflection and commemoration was given.
The next stop was Villers Station Cemetery, where Brown was finally able to visit the graves of one of his great uncles who was killed in battle: William Spenser Hollowell.
"I spoke of his family and left behind an updated family history with pictures in a sealed container for other to read and to know this man," wrote Brown. "I will likely be the only living family member to visit his site."
According to Veterans Affairs Canada, the cemetery was started by the French, but was used by Commonwealth divisions and field ambulances from July 1916 to September 1918. It is associated mainly with Canadian Corps, especially since the French graves were removed in 1923. Many of the graves in Plots V to X date from April 1917 and 74 Canadians are buried from the Battle of Vimy Ridge. It was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield and contains 1,208 Commonwealth burials of WWI and 32 German war graves.
Not surprisingly, the next stop for Brown and his group was Vimy Ridge. As one of the most widely recognized battles, their group was given a guided tour of the battlefield, trenches, and tunnels.
The assault on Vimy Ridge began on April 9, 1917. Thanks to a combination of well-thought-out tactics and coordination, Canadians were able to establish their first step towards an identity independent of Britain. They captured more ground, guns, and prisoners than any previous British force, but suffered a loss of 3,598 lives that day. Nevertheless, it was due to this bittersweet success that Canada earned the right to sign the Treaty of Versailles as an independent body.
By the end of Day 4, Brown and his group managed to visit two more cemeteries, the Houchin British Cemetery and the Neuville-St Vaast German war cemetery. The latter lacks the bright flowers usually planted at the Commonwealth tombstones. Rather, the maintenance is supported by donations, small sums from the German government, and carried out by locals in the area.
"Back on the bus, tour guide 'Mak' Makowski thanked Sandra, Chuck, and me for making this trip more meaningful with our personal reflections," wrote Brown. "Each morning as we headed off, he would begin with a brief commentary of the different sites we would be visiting."
Day 5 encompassed a visit to Vine Cottage in Passchendaele before arriving at Essex Farm Cemetery in Belgium. It was during this visit that they made a stop at the monument dedicated to John McCrae, who wrote In Flanders Fields. They then proceeded to St. Julien Canadian Memorial, where Brown took special note of one particular memorial.
"The Brooding Soldier surmounts a single shaft of granite with the bowed head and shoulders of a Canadian soldier with folded hands resting on arms reversed," wrote Brown. "The expression on the face beneath the steel helmet is resolute yet sympathetic, as though its owner meditates on the battle in which his comrades displayed such great valour."
Following that visit, the group made their second last stop for the day: Tyne Cot Commonwealth War Cemetery. King Albert I of Belgium dedicated this cemetery in recognition of the sacrifices made by the British Empire during their defense of Belgium. The graves of unknown soldiers are marked with headstones bearing the inscription, "Known unto God."
After their final stop at Langemark German War Cemetery, the group attended the Last Post Ceremony at Mennin Gate, which happens every night at 8 p.m. It is a daily simple tribute to those who fell in defence of Ieper (Ypres).
"For one hour, the noise of traffic echoing around the Menin Gate from the cobbled road ceases," wrote Brown. "The crowd is hushed. A stillness descends over the memorial."
Following the ceremony, the group spent the entirety of day six at Dieppe. The rest of their vacations were spent visiting sites that included more than just cemeteries. For example, they were at sites such as Caen via Honfleur, Bernieres sur Mer, and Caen Memorial Museum. On Day 11, they made a stop at Bretteville sur Laize Cemetery in Cinthaux, where Brown reminisced about his father's participation in the war.
"My father, Milt Brown, was wounded somewhere nearby here at Falaise Gap on Aug. 18, 1944. Upon the Cross of Sacrifice, I placed a Canadian flag with his picture upon it, in his honour, to join with all the commemorative wreaths that were laid here for the 70th anniversary celebrations," wrote Brown. "At 64 years old now, it has taken me all these years before realizing just how much of a hero he was."
The next day was their last and final day to visit sites before making preparations to return home. Brown and his wife returned home with many memories and an enriched perspective of the war their family members and countrymen participated in.
"Visiting the beautifully landscaped cemeteries throughout Normandy, I can feel comforted that those whose remains lie beneath the white headstones can finally rest in peace, for all eternity," concluded Brown. "I have learned that true heroes are but ordinary men who do extraordinary things in their all too limited lifetime."
