Lest We Forget

When the fate of the world was at stake, ordinary Canadians stepped up and carried extraordinary burdens. During the Second World War, more than one million Canadians served overseas. They crossed the Atlantic and faced enormous hardship — yet they pressed on with courage and determination. They were young men and women who put duty before comfort and risked their futures so freedom could endure.

Mary Milner was born and raised in the West Midlands of England, nestled between Coventry and Birmingham. At the age of 12, her life took an unexpected turn. It was 1939, and war had gripped Europe. She was set to begin senior school that September, but when she arrived, the school was gone, destroyed by a bomb. Instead of classes and homework, her days were now filled with the harsh reality of a world at war.

On Remembrance Day, we honour the memories of those who faced unimaginable horrors during the Holocaust and celebrate the resilience of survivors who carried the weight of those memories into the present. Among these survivors is Aileen Frydrych, who endured the devastation of World War II as a young Jewish girl in Poland, and later Belarus. Her story is a testament to the strength of the human spirit in the face of relentless persecution.

For Remembrance Day, we honour the resilience and courage of Holocaust survivors, whose stories remind us of the depths of human cruelty and the strength of the human spirit. Paula Goldhar’sstory is a powerful example of surviving against overwhelming odds, a narrative that speaks not only of loss but of enduring hope.

As we approach Remembrance Day, many of us see it as our duty to honour the brave souls who stood in defense of our freedoms. None more so than military personnel and trainees. With that said, local military cadets recently organized a Remembrance Day assembly at Aspira Island Park.

On Remembrance Day, we honour the quiet valor of veterans like John Lajoie, a Kingsmere resident whose wartime narrative differs from the well-trodden battlefields of Europe. His tale is set in the perilous expanse of the North Atlantic, where, as a navy minesweeper during the Second World War, he and his fellow crew members hunted for and deactivated hidden sea mines to ensure the safety of passing vessels.

As Remembrance Day approaches, we take a moment to reflect on those who served in the world wars. Among them is Chad Bark, an army veteran with a distinctive story. Unlike the harrowing tales from the front lines which are often associated with war, Chad's experience was unique, and one shaped by his role in the Signal Corps.

As Remembrance Day approaches, we reflect on the stories of veterans like 103-year-old John Kuharski, whose memories of service are as vivid as they are heartrending. With World War II already underway John's journey began on May 8, 1940, as a young 20-year-old stepping into a dark, dangerous and uncertain world.

Each November, we commemorate Remembrance Day, honouring the brave souls who stood in defense of our freedoms. This year, we delve into a slightly different military journey of one such hero. Englishman William “Bill” Wornes — whose childhood was indelibly marked by the war — served with both the British and Canadian armies, bringing music and courage to various corners of the world.

"I can't believe that I could survive the horrors I went through.” This quote tragically sums up Rose Mandelbaum’s early life, before she came to Canada aged 21. Now in her mid 90s, Rose had been through it all before she arrived on in Halifax in 1947 and it’s hard for anyone who didn’t live through World War II to truly understand her viewpoint.