Remember D-Day with 102-year-old veteran
Posted June 6, 2024 2:19 pm.
Last Updated June 6, 2024 7:05 pm.
Thursday marks the 80th anniversary of the historic D-Day operation when Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy in then Nazi-occupied France. Winnipeg Veteran Len Van Roon was there, a day he will never forget.
“We were assigned a job and that’s what everybody did. They had a job to do, and they did it,” said Van Roon.
“I know I was very fortunate and to live in this district and the time just went.”
RELATED: Canadians remember 80th anniversary of D-Day as sun shines on Juno Beach in Normandy
Van Roon, who is now 102-years-old, grew up on a poultry farm in Manitoba. He left his mom and girlfriend behind in 1943, then 20 years old, when he went to war. At the time, he never thought he would be away from home for four years. During his time in the military, he wrote over 1100 letters to his girlfriend, Verna, who eventually became his wife.
“I have a little book there when I received them and when I sent them. All 1,100 of them are in that little book so it’s the real thing. I think doing that also relieves tension and it was a good thing to do.”
Van Roon was among the thousands of soldiers who stormed the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944. He has several artifacts from his time during the war, including a camera he bought in London and the only boots he wore during the war, travelling through France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany.
“One time, we had soaking wet feet for a while, and the boots were soaked for so long that the leather started giving out. I said to the guys that did repair at the union, ‘Is there any chance we could put these back into action.’ And they said, ‘Well I will give it a try.’ What they did is put a new layer of leather in behind and it did the trick,” said Van Roon.
Van Roon was one of the fortunate ones. He survived and was able to go home to his family, and bride-to-be, Verna, after the war… but many weren’t as lucky – including many of his friends. He is sharing a simple message this 80th D-Day anniversary.
“You have this opportunity. Please respect it.”
