If there’s ever been a guy who can say: ‘been there, done that’, it’s Keith. What am I talking about? WW2 of course. Anyone who knows me knows I am a history buff, especially WW2…..

How did I meet Keith? This August I was photographing Kayla & Alain’s wedding.

As usual, I was shooting the parents, family, and of course, the grandparents, all at Science North. When it came to Keith and his firecracker little wife, she says to me: “Been married 58 years!”.

Congrats, I tell em, and ask: “Are you going to have a party when you get to 60?”

 ”Naw, had one at 50, probably go to Holland.” Keith replied

I quickly in my head come to the conclusion, and look at Keith and ask: “Are you a WW2 vet?” (The Canadian army for those who don’t know, fought a good fight up to Holland and liberated it. They are still grateful there to this day and have momuments and such…many fine young men lost their lives. The Canadians landed on D Day with their own beach named Juno. They had, and few know this, the second hardest landing of all the beaches-Omaha being the hardest-of which their were five total- english army had two- Sword and Gold; US army had two as well, Omaha and Utah. The Canadians were the only army that met all their objectives that day. They actually surpassed them and got deeper into France than any other army, having to backtrack for lack of supply lines)

Keith’s wife answered for him: “Oh yea, and he was in D Day.” You can’t help but feel she is proud of her man. She seems so much smaller than him, and he seems tall and strong standing next to her.

I started chatting with him, so much so that Alain had to come over and ask me what was next. In other words, he was saying: “Rob, we haven’t got all day….”

Keith mentioned to me I outta come and visit some day. So I did. Last night. I brought my cousin Marc with me. When I arrived Keith answered the door. My first thought was: “He’s shorter than I recall” Maybe that’s because his wife wasn’t beside him. She was out paying bingo, something she lives for Keith tells me.

Anyhoo, as soon one walks in their small apt, the first you notice is the WW2 official group photos to the left. These looked familiar since I grew up seeing these at my peperes house. He served in WW1 and my uncle, his eldest boy, served in WW2.

Keith was very gracious and open. He spoke of many events and showed us books and photos, even a school project his grandaughter created, for which I am certain she would have received an A+. Keith is very open about his experiences. And he seen it all. Four years worth. He landed at D Day (his team of 6 men, four died that day), fought in France, in the Falaise pocket, up through Belgium and Holland.

I think his words expressed it best while we were chatting. He said: “I don’t know how I made it through it all and got out.”

Well, many made it out, but many stayed behind, paying the ultimate sacrifice. Many who made it back never spoke about it again, bringing their memories with them locked within their hearts for all eternity.

Thanks Keith, and thanks to all the vets wherever they served…

Rob

P.S. Here is an interesting artcle I found:
http://www.westmountphotography.com/pages/canadawar.htm