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:: Métis Nation Delegation, Juno Beach, Normandy, France ::

N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9

Métis National Council

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“This memorial is areminder of the debt we

all owe to those Métis whofought, were wounded ordied protecting worldfreedom, giving us andfuture generations themeans to strive for a

prosperous and strongMétis Nation.”

– Clément ChartierMétis National Council President

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Robert Bruce HowardDickenson

Donn Fowler

Edmond Gagne Joseph Gagnon Francis Godon

Leo Goulet RonaldMonkman

CharlieSt. Germaine

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Métis NationVeterans Memorialunveiled at Juno Beach Centre

NOVEMBER 11TH, 2009 :: COURSEULLES-SUR-MER, FRANCE

Amemorial to the thousands ofMétis Nation citizens who servedin theWorldWars was dedicated atthe Juno Beach Centre inCourseulles-sur-Mer, France onNovember 11, 2009.A delegation

of Métis Nation veterans, youth anddignitaries joined Clement Chartier,President of the Metis National Council(MNC),David Chartrand, President of theManitoba Métis Federation and MNCMinister forVeterans Affairs, and theHonourable Chuck Strahl,Minister of

Indian Affairs and Northern Developmentand Federal Interlocutor for Métis andNon-Status Indians for the dedicationceremony.“On behalf of all Métis, I express my joy

and pride in being here today tocommemorate and celebrate the serviceand sacrifice of the Métis Nation’s greatestheroes; our veterans of the world wars,”said President Clement Chartier.“Thismemorial is a reminder of the debt we allowe to those Métis who fought, werewounded or died protecting world

freedom, giving us and future generationsthe means to strive for a prosperous andstrong Métis Nation.”The memorial features a Red River

Cart, one of the most recognized symbolsof the Métis Nation. It also includesartifacts from Métis culture and history,and exhibits highlighting the contri-butions of Métis soldiers, sailors andaircrew during theWorldWars and in theCanadian landing at Juno Beach as part ofthe 1945 liberation of Europe.“It is an honour to be participating in

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this special moment on this truly historicbattleground,” said the Honourable ChuckStrahl,Minister of Indian Affairs andNorthern Development and FederalInterlocutor for Métis and Non-StatusIndians.“The Red River Cart is a symbolthat highlights the strength and determi-nation of the Métis servicemen andwomen, some of whom I have theprivilege of standing with today, and to allof whom Canada is truly grateful.”To commemorate the memorial exhibit

unveiling, President Chartier presented

MétisWorldWar II veterans in attendancewith special awards in recognition of theirservice to the Métis Nation and Canada.The ceremony also included aperformance by renowned Métis dancetroupe, the St.AmbroiseYouth Steppers,who were part of the youth delegation.“The memorial will help our youth and

all future generations of Métis Nationcitizens honour the bravery andselflessness of our veterans,” said DavidChartrand,MMF President and MNCMinister forVeterans Affairs.“It will now

be a constant reminder of how we mustcontinue working to ensure all MétisNation veterans get the acknowledgmentand benefits they deserve.”President Chartier thanked Minister

Strahl, the Office of the FederalInterlocutor andVeterans Affairs Canadafor their support in making the memorialpossible and providing resources for MétisNation veterans to attend the ceremony.He also thanked the Juno Beach Centre fortheir assistance in developing the exhibitsand hosting the dedication ceremony.

� Donn Fowler, Joseph Gagnon, HowardDickenson, Ronald Monkman, EdmondGagne, Robert Bruce and Francis Godon.

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On the Canadian front, defences alongthe coastal shores were strengthened.Troopmobilization of existing units began and bythe end of September 58, 337 newvolunteers had enlisted in the CanadianArmed Forces. In December the 1stCanadian Division was dispatched toEngland and by February the strength ofpersonnel in England numbered 23, 304.On theWestern front, after the fall of

Poland an eerie lull set in from October1939 to April 1940.This period becameknown as the “The PhonyWar.” Both Alliedand enemy forces took advantage bypreparing troops and fortifying defencelines.This quiet period broke on April 9,1940 as German armies overran the neutralstates of Denmark and Norway.One monthlater, on April 10 German armies launchedassaults on Holland and Belgium.Withbrutal efficiency the German army cutthrough Dutch defences within days andcontinued their assault through to Belgiumreaching the Channel coast by May 21.OnJune 10,Norway surrendered.That sameday Italy declared war on Britain andFrance.The surge of German forces intoFrance led to the mass evacuation of alliedtroops, which was carried out during theend of May at Dunkirk.With the advancement of enemy forces

through the Low Countries, Canadadeployed the first unit of the 2nd CanadianDivision to England in late May.Other

units followed successively. By Decemberthe entire 2nd Canadian Division hadreached the shores of England.In France the situation was dire as

German forces moved hastily in attack.Thefall of France came shortly after Italyattacked along the Mediterranean coastlines.France surrendered on June 22, 1940.On July 24, the 7th Corps comprised of

the 1st Canadian Division and the 1stBritish Armoured Division was formed andbegan preparing for the defence of Britain.The first phase of Hitler’s Sea LionOperation – the invasion of Britain- waslaunched on August 12, 1940.The GermanAir Force (Luftwaffe) unleashed a bombingcampaign that targeted radar stations andairfields, later switching to mass bombingraids on London.As the Luftwaffe wasunable to gain air superiority Hitler indefi-nitely delayed Operation Sea Lion.Outsideof the European campaign Mussolini turnedattention to North Africa, strikingSomaliland in late summer and invadingEgypt in September. Japan sided with theaxis alliance on September 27 joiningGermany and Italy against the alliedpowers.Mussolini continued his attacks,invading Greece in October.As Britain no longer feared invasion and

the 2nd Canadian Division was in itsentirety, the 7th Corps was disbanded inDecember of 1940.The Canadians formedthe Canadian Corps (later called the 1st

Canadian Corps.)The year 1941 saw the war spread

throughout the Pacific and North Africa. Inthe summer the 3rd Canadian Divisionlanded in England.On the Eastern front inEurope, by surprise attack Germany invadedRussia on June 22, 1941.The fierceness andscale of this battle was colossal. Germanforces numbered 3 million strongemploying violent efficiency advancingGerman troops to Moscow and Leningradby winter. Russian troops fought hard,stalling the advancement of the enemy inDecember.On December 7, 1941 Japan attacked

Pearl Harbor, in swift reaction Americajoined the Allied powers declaring war onJapan and Italy.The war further flared in thePacific led by Japan who attacked HongKong, Philippines, Northern Malaysia andGuam.The first Canadian troops to seebattle would occur in Hong Kong.In the European campaign, the Canadian

troops saw first battle during the DieppeRaid in August 1942. In April, theCombined Operations headquarters begandrafting plans for an attack on Dieppe.Theintention of the raid was two-fold.Thefirst to secure a port along theFrench coastline and secondlyto test new machinery,weaponry, and techniquesthat would be used for thefuture large-scale Allied

T he SecondWorldWar began on September 1st, 1939 with the invasion of Poland by German forces. Inswift reaction Britain, France,Australia, and New Zealand declared war against Germany on September3rd.A proclamation by King GeorgeVI came on September 10, announcing Canada’s declaration of war.

The Second World WarBY NAOMI GORDON, courtesy of the Metis Nation of Alber ta

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invasion along the coast.The plan called fora joint British and Canadian front.The 2ndDivision was chosen for the attack.Intensive combined training and battle dressrehearsal was done on the Isle ofWight.Theplan entailed five different attack points. OnAugust 18 troops departed fromPortsmouth and Southampton. Early in themorning of August 19, troops attacked theirdesignated landing position.Awaiting theAllies was German small arm and artilleryfire.The losses were tragic. Of the original4, 963 Canadian soldiers that departed forDieppe only 2, 210 returned.There were1,946 prisoners of war and 907 Canadiansdied.

SICILY & ITALY

The next phase of the war for Canadainvolved the invasion of Sicily and Italy.Theoperation was designed to help alleviatepressures on the Russian front by forcingGerman troops to defend southern areas.With the capture of Sicily Allied forceswould gain naval control over theMediterranean Sea.On July 10, 1943 Alliedforces launched Operation Husky – theinvasion of Sicily.The seventh U.S Armyand the Eighth British Army carried out theattack.The 1st Canadian Infantry Divisionand the 1st Canadian Armoured Brigadeserved under the Eight British Army.On July 10, 1943 Canadian troops landed

on Pachino Beach,meeting minimalresistance from Italian forces. Once unitssecured the beachfront, troops marchedinland without incident. On September 15,Canadians encountered the Germans at

Grammichele.The Division moved on totake Caltagirone and met combat onSeptember 17th at Piazza Armerina.Toimpede Allied advancement enemy forcesbombed bridges and roadways causingAllied troops to continue the advance byfoot.The 1st Armoured Brigade moved tocapture Assoro while the 1st InfantryDivision took Leonforte. German units inboth towns offered Canadians a bitterbattle. Orders were given to continue intothe town of Agira, Canadians again metviolent fighting and suffered heavy losses,but forced the enemy back.The 3rdCanadian Brigade captured Catenanuova onJuly 29 through difficult battle. Some unitsof the Division took part in the assault onRegualbuto from July 30 to August 3.Canadian troops were put on leave onAugust 6 before readying to cross theMessina Straight, onwards to Italy.Military strategists and Allied high

command debated as to the importance ofextended operations in the Mediterraneanbut came to an agreement that the ItalianCampaign would act as subordinate to theNorth-West Europe Campaign. Plans calledfor the Eighth British Army to advance toNaples while the Fifth U.S Army stormedSalerno, seized Naples and continued toRome. Shortly after Italy’s invasion byAllied forces,Mussolini’ s government wastoppled.On September 3, 1943 Canadian troops

moved across the straight, landing at Reggiodi Calabria. Resistance was meager asGerman forces retreated to secure strategicpositions further inland.Canadian troops moved into the interior

of Italy crossing the central mountain rangeto Catanzaro and forward to Castrovillari.ACanadian brigade was used in a SpecialForces unit that captured Potenza onSeptember 20.Allied forces held a line thatran from coast to coast having liberatedmuch of the southern region.The push intoMotta saw 1st Divisions battle with Germanforces, their first battle in Italy.A successionof bitter battles continuedas troops movedto captureVoiturara,Vinchiaturo, andCampobasso.By November Allied forces had neared

the German line.Once this line had beenpierced the Fifth Army was able to advanceto Rome. Canadian and British Divisionsmoved along the Adriatic Coast fightingfiercely along the Sangro before enteringnorth to the Moro River. Some of Canada’smost severe and costly battles took place inthis region specifically at San Leonardo andCasa Baradi.After the towns captures, theCanadians advanced to the Ossogna andOrtona crossroad by December 19.The capture of Ortona took eight

grueling days. Battery’s of artillery fire criss-crossed through the city’s medievalbuildings, culminating with violent streetfighting.Ortona was made memorable bythe house-to-house combat called ‘mouse-holing.’The city fell on December 28.In April, under guarded secrecy the

Eighth British Army and the 1st CanadianCorps were dispatched to the Fifth Armyfor the assault on Mounte Cassino, whichAllied forces had been trying to capturesince February. Four days of bloody battleensued and on May 18, Polish forces tookCassino.

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On May 23 the assault on the Hitler Linewas launched amidst heavy artillery andsmall arms fire.A breach in the line wasmade allowing the advancement of Alliedtroops northward.Americans reachedRome, which fell on June 4. Canadiantroops were further east at Frosinone. In lateJune Canadians were put on leave with theexception of the 1st Armoured Brigade thatwas supporting the Eighth British Army.Early August saw the 1st Division resume

in battle for the city of Florence. Underattack German forces retreated behind theGothic Line that ran from Pesaro to LaSpeiza. In late August the entire Canadianforce made its attack on the Line to captureRimini. In addition to fierce enemyresistance, troops had to battle the naturalobstacles of the land. Impeding theiradvance were six rivers that had to bemaneuvered through with help of the RoyalCanadian Engineers who had played anintegral role in Italy. By September 21troops reached Rimini.Canadians were taken out on leave and

returned to battle in October.The dismalweather and the dug in German unitshampered movement for Allies to collapsethe Gothic Line. Combat continued and byDecember Canadian troops had takendefensive positions that they heldthroughout the winter. In February 1945the 1st Canadian Corps began movementoftroops out of Italy to reunite with the FirstCanadian Army for the Northwest EuropeCampaign.

NORMANDY

The long awaited assault on NorthwestEurope took place on June 6, 1944 – D-Day.This was to be the largest amphibious attackin history with 5000 ships sailing towardNormandy supported by 11,000 aircraft.Onthe night of June 5 and into the morning ofJune 6 barrages of artillery fired upon enemy

defences along Normandy’s coastline. Bymorning troops prepared to storm one thefive designated beaches.On the far right theFirst United States Army attacked on thebeaches “Utah” and “Omaha.”To the left theSecond British Army stormed the beaches“Gold” and “Sword.” Between these Britishbeachfronts the Canadian 3rd InfantryDivision (under command of the British)assaulted “Juno” beach.Juno beach ran a stretch of 8 kilometers

from Saint-Aubin to Bernièrs toCourseulles-sur-Mer.The beach was furtherdivided into two sectors: Nan (Aubin andBerniers) and Mike (Courseulles) for thetroops landing.The 7th Brigade was taskedMike Sector and the 8th Brigade directedto Nan Sector.As troops readied to land,Allied artillery pounded the shoreline.Canadian troops fought bravely through themaelstrom of enemy fire securing thebeachhead by days end.The D-Day objective for Canadians was

to push inland to the Carpiquet airfield.Weather and fierce enemy resistance slowedtroop advancements.Although unable tomake their D-Day objective they reachedtheir intermediate objective at Creully.Over the next few days Canadians

assaulted Putot-en-Bessin, Bretteville andLe Mesnil-Patry.The latter was unsuccessfuland resulted in heavy casualties forcingCanadian troops in retreat.The capture ofthe Capriquet airfield on July 4 was preludeto the desperate battle for Caen, which fellon July 10.It was during this time that the II

Canadian Corps was formed.With troops atfull strength, forces headed south of Caentowards Falaise. Costly battles raged overthe next few weeks as troops neared theirobjective. Canadians captured the towns ofSt-Andre-sur-Orne, Ifs, and Bourguebusduring the advance to theVerrieres Ridge,which remained impenetrable.From July 24-August 21 Canadian troops

began the costly and bloody battle into theFalasie Gap.Troop strength was increased bythe formation of the First CanadianArmyheadquarters.The attack againstFalaise was executed in three phases. Firstwas Operation Spring an attack launchedunder the cover of dark on the night of July25.This was one of the bloodiest attacks forCanadians who suffered heavy losses.Pinned down by Germans, Canadianswithdrew.A second attempt to pierceVerrieres

Ridge was made on August 7.OperationTotalize was designed to draw the Germansinto a narrow lane that could then be closedby Allied troops. For this to work additionalforces were required. It was decided that theattack would be executed during the nightfollowing intense air raids.After initialAllied progress, movement halted andtroops were again unable to penetrateGerman forces holding the Ridge.OnAugust 11,Allies withdrew.Three days later OperationTractable was

launched. It relied on the use of tanks andsmoke screens that would cover the infantryunits in the flank. Successful, the 2ndDivision entered the town on August 16.Asnot all enemy forces were cut off, the FirstCanadian Army was tasked to close the gapbetween Falaise and Argentan.The Germanarmy began to withdraw from Francefollowing their defeat in Falaise.Canadian forces followed in pursuit and

were directed to move north along theChannel ports. In order for troops tocontinue the advance into Belgium andbeyond they required secure passagewaysfor supplies. Hitler recognized the strategicimportance and ordered that ports be heldat all costs. On September 17th the 3rdCanadian Division battled againstdetermined German units for the city ofBologne.After days of intense fighting andheavy allied air strikes Canadians capturedthe city on September 22.

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Between September 25 to October 1,Canadians stormed the heavily fortified cityof Calais.Many casualties were suffered byCanadian troops who managed to piercethe strongly defended perimeter andadvance into the city. In addition to seizingports, troops destroyedV-1 bombing basesand weaponry used to assail southernEngland.Over the fall of 1944, Canadians engaged

in the Battle of the Scheldt.ThoughAntwerp had been liberated German unitsheld the waterway areas into the citydenying Allied forces a secure supply route.Three phases were implemented to gaincontrol of the Scheldt River, the SouthBeveland isthms and peninsula, and theisland ofWalcheren. Difficult battles ensuedat all points as German resistance was fierce.By October 16, the 2nd Canadian Divisionhad fought determinedly through to theentrance of South Beveland, suffering manycasualties.The isthmus was taken on the24th and the peninsula was captured bytheend of the month.Along the southern banks of the Shceldt

River, the 3rd Canadian Division engagedfiercely with the Germans on October 6.Continued assaults won the southern banksto Canadians by November 3.The last stronghold was the island of

Walcheren. In addition to German units,Canadians were faced with the natural landbarriers. On October 31 troops attacked theisland from the sea, the east and the south.After days of grueling warfare, the island fellto Allied forces by mid November.Theroute opened and was in use by Allies by theend of the month.

As winter set in Canadian troops werepositioned along the Maas and theNijmegen salient.The next three monthsfell to a static front line with Canadiansholding their position. In February 1955Allied troops including the First CanadianArmy launched OperationVeritable a large-scale task to clear the Reichswald Forest,pierce the Siegfried Line, clear theHockwald Forest defences and close theRhine.Arial bombings preceded the groundattack over flooded fields and other naturalobstacles.After tiring battle, the Canadianand British struggled through the muddyReichswald Forest and hit the SiegfriedLine on February 21.The fight for the Hockwald Forest was

intense with troops having to battle thenatural elements and the formidableGerman resistance.After the tiring slowadvance the Hockwald Forest was capturedby March 4.The fight through Rhinelandcost Canada a great number of killed andwounded men, namely within the FirstCanadian Army.The push into Holland required the 1st

Canadian Corps to take Arnhem in order toopen supply routes for convoys movingnortheast. Following Allied air strikes thecity fell on April 14.The next city to fallwas Apeldoorn by April 17.Whileadvancing though Holland Canadian forcessaw the famine like conditions of the Dutchpopulation and began negotiations with theGermans for convoys of food to bedelivered. By May thousands of tones offood began arriving for the Dutchpopulation.Troops continued to the northeastern

regions.The 3rd Canadian Division foughtbravely to capture Zutphen on April 8,followed by Deventer, and Leeuwarden byApril 15.Meanwhile the 2nd Infantry Division

moving along the 3rd Division’s right flankreached Groningen on April 13th taking thecity three days later.With troops advancingrapidly, German resistance began to wane.By April 25,American and Russian troopswere at Elbe.Within days the Russian forceshad surrounded Berlin. Hitler committedsuicide followed shortly by the surrenderingof German troops. On May 7, 1955 theofficial German surrender was signed atRheims, France.The war in Europe was ended.

THE END INTHE PACIFIC

While Allied forces had just won the warin Northwest Europe battle still raged in thePacific.Many soldiers who had fought inthe Northwest Europe Campaign enlistedfor duty in the Pacific.The war in the Pacific was soon to

change following the first atomic bombdropped on Hiroshima, Japan on August 6,1945.The result was devastating for theJapanese as three quarters of the city wascompletely obliterated and countlesscivilians killed.Again on August 9 a secondbomb was dropped on the ports ofNagasaki. On august 14, Japan uncondi-tionally surrendered.The surrender of Japan brought the

SecondWorldWar to a close.

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� MMF youth Paige Ricard with Robert Bruce.

Private Robert Bruce was bornon the 11th of February 1922.He enlisted in the army on the8th of November 1941 and sent fortraining to Joliet, Quebec and CampBorden,Ontario.

Robert was then sent overseasand served in the United Kingdom,where he met his war bride Lorna.He then served in ContinentalEurope, until his HonourableDischarge on December 8th,1945.

Private Bruce received thefollowing medals:The Canadian

Voluntary Service Medal plus clasp, the1939-1945 Star, the France and GermanyStar and the Defence Medal.

ROBERT BRUCERoyal Canadian Army Service Corps

� Robert Bruce, Gary Fyke and Lorna Bruce

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Iwas born on April 16th, 1923 to myparents Bertram and Jessie Dickensonof Petersfield Manitoba. I was the onlyson, but I have three Sisters, Bess, Clarice,and Patricia.

I joined the Navy in Calgary,AB inJune of 1943 as 2nd class stocker. I was senttoVictoria for basic training.Due to mytrade, I was promoted to E.R.A 5th class. Idid steam engine training aboard CPRboats operating betweenVancouver andVictoria for 30 days.

In September 1943 I got loaned to theBritish Navy and sent to Brementon,USA.I boarded ship and did sea trials, the shipwas commissioned as HMS Reaper, a babyflat top air craft carrier.We had targetpractice aroundVancouver Island.Ourgunners were so bad that the tug pullingtarget took off for their own safety.

We then sailed down to the coast to SanDiego and onto to Panama then up to

Norfolk,Va.We were then loaded withaircraft and were off to Greenock inScotland.We then went to NewYork backacross to Gibralter with more aircraft, upto Greenock with a convoy and back toPanama.

We were loaned to the American taskforce for Japanese invasion and off to PearlHarbor, Guam, Siapan,Ulithi,NewGuinea and back to Pearl Harbor.Wepicked up 50 US Marines in Saipan --crossed the Equator and had a big party.Wecould not have a party on our first crossingdue to Japanese subs in the area.

We did over 100,000 nautical miles,closed up for action in Ulithi. Howevernothing happened.

I was discharged from the ship in August‘45, went back to Halifax and got married.

That was the extent of my navyvoyages, and I did not carry a clover leaf orrabbit’s foot.

HOWARD DICKENSENRoyal Navy - served on HMS Reaper

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Donn Fowler a

nd wifeEva.

Our volunteer 3rd CanadianDivision set sail from Halifax,Nova Scotia, in July 1941, in alarge convoy, and arrived in England aboutthe 15th of July, 1941. During the nextthree years we trained in huge alliedcombat formations in a series of code-named mock battle exercises such as“Tiger” and “Neptune” throughoutEngland and Scotland.

Following extensive and strenuousconditioning the entire Canadian army

was fit and ready for what later came to beknown as ‘Operation Overlord’, the assault

on occupied Europe.Our CanadianInfantry units were assigned to specificsections of Juno Beach,which was attackedon June 6th, 1944, known as D-Day.TheGlens landed at Berniere-sur-mer.As a trained Glengarrian, I did not land

in Normandy until the 15th of July 1944,in time for the attacks on Caen and theFalaise Gap. I served throughoutNormandy, France, Belgium,Holland andGermany and when the war ended, weGlens were in the north seaport ofEmden, Germany.

– Donn Fowler

DONN FOWLERGlengarry Highlanders

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EDMOND GAGNERoyal Winnipeg Rifles

Edmond Gagne was born July 25, 1921in Mornville,Alberta to Joseph andKatherine Gagne. He was raisedwithin a traditional Métis householdlearning traditions and culture from hismother.Though times were less difficult forthe Gagne family in comparison to othersEdmond still contributed by selling fur tothe Hudson’s Bay Company.“I learnt it[trapping] from my friends,Métis.Therewas lots of Métis, mostly Métis up in thiscountry.”Once the SecondWorldWar began times

changed drastically. In 1941, he was called toduty enlisting in Edmonton with theEdmonton Fusiliers.After advancedcommando training in Southern Englandhe was transferred into ‘D’ Company of theRoyalWinnipeg Rifles.On D-Day, June 6th, 1944 when the

RoyalWinnipeg Rifles stormed Juno Beachin Mike Sector, landing near Courseulles.Edmond as part of the second wavecontingent had little on his mind but tryingto make it out alive.“We got close toNormandy and then the ships anchored.And then the barrages went in troops.Youhad to go down a rope ladder into theseLCI’s (Land Craft Infantry). One of thewaves went in and two hours after the firstwave went in, we went in.The boat I was inlet the gangplank down.We couldn’t getvery close. So, we had to get in the water upto our necks, ice-cold water.There werebullets flying around and planes droppingbombs, everything going. I was scared todeath. But I never was hit there; I was luckyI never got hit.”On July 4, 1944, intense combat ensued as

Germans dug in to hold the strategicairfield. Edmond would not see thecapturing of the airfield, instead the flash ofan airburst. He was transported to a medic’stent located on the beach where doctorsremoved shrapnel and stabilized him fortransport to an army hospital. He stayedoverseas in hospital care for four monthsbefore traveling home.Although a piece of shrapnel sits lodged in

his skull, a constant reminder of the battleshe faced, Edmond seldom reflects on thewar. He returned to Europe 15 years ago asa representative for Aboriginal veterans. Hefelt fortunate to be able to return and payrespect to those who fell during the SecondWorldWar.

— Naomi Gordon

� Edmond Gagne with Irena Chichak

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MétisVeteran Joseph Gagnonjoined the army on April 26th,1941, beginning active duty onMay 2nd.When he left Canada in June ofthe same year, he was only 16 years old.Four years later, he returned as a Lancecorporal. Prior to his servitude, heworked in lumber camps and continuedthis during his time in the army where heworked in the forestry core. He didn’tserve on the front lines but provided aservice just as important; deliveringsupplies to the guards on duty.In August 1945, he returned to Canada

and left the army, resuming his work inManiwaki at the lumber camp.During his servitude, he married

Doreen Davies.The two married in1942, making Gagnon the first CanadianSoldier to be married in Stockton,

England.A year following Gagnon’sreturn to Canada, in 1946, Daviestravelled to Canada on the Queen Maryto be with her husband.The two have ason and daughter who were both born inEngland. His son is now a pastor andproud Métis Nation of Ontario citizen.His daughter is a retired RegisteredNurse.Gagnon comes by his military history

honestly and has proudly passed it on. Hisfather, Henry Holinger, fought in FranceduringWWI.His son, David, was activein the Navy during the ColdWar and hisgrandson served in Bosnia with theBritish Navy.For his servitude, Gagnon was awarded

the Defence Medal, the CanadianVoluntary Medal and theWar Medal1939-1945.

JOSEPH GAGNONCalgary Highlanders

Frances Godon is from Boisevain,Manitoba.When he tried to enlistthe first time in the Canadian Armyhe was rejected because he was underage.Frances later tried twice more and wasrejected both times. He was told he had flatfeet or didn’t have enough education.Thefourth time he tried to enlist he wassuccessful and was sent toWinnipeg andthen to Nova Scotia for his training.

Frances was trained as an anti-tankgunner. His job required trying to destroyenemy tanks so the infantry could betteradvance.

When his unit hit the beach on June 6,1944, he found his rifle didn’t work.He usedgrenades until he got to shore and was ableto grab a German rifle and ammunition.

Advancing furthur inshore, he was ableto be resupplied with a weapon.

While on a scouting patrol he wascaptured by Germans. He was with about 4other Métis and a couple of First Nationbuddies from his platoon. Francesremembers cleary his captivity:“28 days ina seething hot boxcar with only a can ofcabbage water and a slice of bread to eateach day.”

In total, he spent over 11 months as aPOW, losing a tremendous amount ofweight (going from 215 lbs. to 120 lbs). Hesays the men were,“half animal, half manwhen it was over.” Frances credits hisparents’Métis teachings for helping himsurvive this ordeal.

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FRANCIS GODONWinnipeg Rifles, B-Company

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It's taken 65 years, but the contri-butions and sacrifices of Métisveterans and those who died at JunoBeach on D-Day are finally beingrecognized.“It's about time,” says 85 year old Métis

veteran Leo Goulet softly.Goulet lives with Rosanna, his wife of

57 years, on the Atikameg (WhitefishLake) First Nation, 430 kilometres northof Edmonton.Goulet, at just 20 years old, was one of

400 infantrymen with the RoyalWinnipeg Rifles.They were among14,000 Canadians who stormed JunoBeach the morning of June 6, 1944.He and 75 others in his regiment

survived the landing only to be capturedby the Nazis three days later.Their captors, who didn't even have

enough food for themselves, talked aboutkilling their prisoners before finallydeciding to take them along.Goulet spent 10 months in a prisoner

of war camp before he was forced into adeath march, one of a series of suchmarches during the final stages of theSecondWorldWar in Europe, whenmore than 80,000 allied POWs wereforce marched westward across Poland,Czechoslovakia and Germany.

It was the last time he saw the 75others from his regiment. Goulet,who said he has often wonderedwhat happened to them, said hehopes to find out when the flightto France stops inWinnipeg topick up more veterans.

By the time the allies liberatedEurope and Goulet was freed, heweighed a skeletal 94 pounds,59 pounds less than normal.

LEO GOULETRoyal Winnipeg Rifles

� Francis Godon, a Normandy resident and Leo Goulet � Francis Godon with Leo Goulet.

� WWII veteran Leo Goulet during a tour ofArromanches-les-Bains, France in November 2009.

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The Métis played a significant rolein the Canadian armed forcesduringWWII and it’s important tohonour the bravery and selflessness of ourMétis veterans, like Ron Monkman, andto give them the acknowledgment andbenefits they deserve” said DavidChartrand,MMF President and MNCMinister forVeterans Affairs.

Monkman joined the army in 1942with the Princess Patricia’s Canadian LightInfantry (PPCLI) when he was 17.He wassent over to Scotland for training withfellow Manitoban Monty Sair and JoeHeillman before being shipped to Holland.In Holland, he was promoted to Corporaland sent to theWinnipeg Rifles, a one-battalion infantry regiment nicknamed“Little Black Devils”.When the Rifles

were moved to Germany to clean up theconcentration camps,Monkman wasassigned to the Regimental Police to guardthe German POWs.He was the guard thatescorted Kurt “Panzermeyer”Meyer, anofficer in theWaffen-SS charged with warcrimes. It was during this time that helearned how to speak German.

Once back in Canada in 1946,Monkman took a discharge from the army.He helped build the runways at the GimliAir Force Base with MonarchConstruction and built a major part ofhighway 59 that connectsWinnipeg toVictoria Beach while working for KeywayConstruction. Last year,Monkman wasselected to represent Selkirk andsurrounding areas at the Juno BeachMemorial in France.

RONALD MONKMANPrincess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry

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Charlie St. Germaine was born inClear Hills,Alberta July 8, 1924to Aldolphus and Nancy St.Germaine. He was one of seven childrenraised on the small family homestead.In early childhood Charlie began to

follow example of his father, a skilledhunter. By the age of six he was armedwith a rifle bringing home chickens andsquirrels.“It was just the way of life.As faras I can remember it I enjoyed it.”In the summer of 1942, he enlisted with

the Calgary Highlanders Regiment, achoice he made because of scarceemployment and his dream to follow hisbrother Joseph who had enlisted in 1939.Charlie underwent basic and advancedtraining in Camrose and in the fall of1942, he sailed for England.After landing at Juno Beach on D-Day

Charlie engaged in his first battle for thetowns of St.Andre-sur-Orne and May-sur-Orne in the later part of July. On July25 Operation Spring was launched as thefirst phase of capturing the Falaise Gap.“We went all the way up to Caen,

France.The 3rd Division had taken comacross the river Seine.That’s where wetook over and we sat there for, I don’tknow about ten days.That’s on account ofthe weather. It would rain and rain andrain…all they did was shell one anotherback and forth.You got to tell just aboutwhere those shells were going to fall.Theystarted telling us we were going to make

an attack that night but we didn’t knowwhere. It was at night too. It was in St.Andre and when it broke daylight we triedto take May-sur-Orne but we couldn’t doit…we came halfway back to St.Andre.That’s where we had to dig in until theshelling stopped over us…I wished toChrist I would have stayed home.We hadno idea what we were up against.”Charlie’s last battles were fought in

Holland before he was withdrawn fromthe front lines because of battleexhaustion.In 2005,Charlie returned to the battle-

fields of Europe with the AboriginalSpiritual Journey.The journey provided aspace to openly discuss his disappointmentand frustration over the lack of recognitionand services given to Métis veterans.“Tome it’s like they started to realize what theMétis people were.They started torecognize that we gave up our lives for thiscountry…and how we were treated afterthe war…now they realize what we gaveup, the Aboriginal people, the Inuit…therewere so many that gave their lives.”

CHARLIE ST. GERMAINECalgary Highlanders

� Charlie St. Germaine speaks withReporter Peter O'Neil, Canwest.

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BENY-SUR-MERCEMETARYFrance

The Bény-sur-Mer CanadianWar Cemetery is a cemeterycontaining predominantlyCanadian soldiers killed duringthe early stages of the Battle ofNormandy in the SecondWorldWar.The Cemetery is located inand named after Bény-sur-Merin the Calvados department, nearCaen in lower Normandy.As istypical of war cemeteries inFrance, the grounds arebeautifully landscaped andimmaculately kept.

They started to recognize that we gave up our livesfor this country…and how we were treated after the

war…Now they realize what we gave up...

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� Arromanches-les-Bains,France

� Remnants of a Mulberry Harbour from the D-Day landings in 1944.

MULBERRYHARBOURArromanches-les-BainsNovember 11, 2009

Designated as Gold Beachduring the D-Day landings,Arromanches-les-Bains wasused by British troops in theAllied invasion.Arromancheswas selected as one of the sitesfor two Mulberry Harbours(a type of temporary harbourdeveloped inWWII to offloadcargo on the beaches) built onthe Normandy coast.

Sections of the MulberryHarbour at Arromanches stillremain today with hugeconcrete blocks sitting on thesand, and more can be seenfurther out at sea.

Commemorating the achievements of the Métisveterans is something we should all be committed to:

today... tomorrow ....forever.

� MNC President Clément Chartier, Susan Cardinal-Lamouche,Métis veteran Charlie St.Germaine, MSGC President GeraldCunningham and Derrold St. Germaine.

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JUNO BEACHCourseulles-sur-Mer, France

Juno Beach was the code name of one of thefive main landing sites of the Allied invasionof the coast of Normandy on D-Day duringWorldWar II. It was situated between SwordBeach and Gold Beach. It is also known asthe Canadian beach, as it was assigned to the3rd Canadian Infantry Division. Juno Beachstretched from Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer on theeast to Courseulles-sur-Mer on the west.

The 3rd Canadian Division was placedunder the command of British I Corps forthe initial phase of the liberation, and didnot come under Canadian command againuntil July 1944 and the establishment of IICanadian Corps headquarters inNormandy.

“At the going down of the sunand in the morning,

we will remember them.”

� Métis Nation delegation on Juno Beach

� Delegation tours bunker at Juno Beach.� (left) James Fyke. (right) Francis Godon inside bunker at Juno Beach.

20

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� Robert Bruce, Ronald Monkman and Francis Godon.

� Joe Edwards, Oliver Boulette and Al Desjarlais.� MNC President Chartier and Ronald Monkman.

�

MMF PresidentDavid Chartrand

and MétisSettlements

General CouncilPresident Gerald

Cunningham.

� Joseph Gagnon with MNC President Clément Chartier.

22

� Minister Chuck Strahl speaks with Robert Bruce.

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� Joseph Gagnon,Wayne Price, Jim Loutitt and Donn Fowler.

� Wayne Price and Lissa Smith. � Diane Robinson, Donna Wuttunee and Al Benoit.

� Honorary Colonel Fred Caron� Joe Edwards and DeniseThomas.

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� Marie-Josée Lafond and RogerAlexandre of theJuno Beach Center Friends Association. M. LebaronPrésident Comite Juno Normandie and Juno BeachCentre guides Stéphanie and Annika

� The HonourableChuck Strahl speaksat the Juno BeachInterpretive Centre

MEMORIALCEREMONYJuno Beach CentreNovember 11, 2009

The Juno Beach Centre is amuseum located in Courseulles-sur-Mer in France. It is situatedimmediately behind the beachcodenamed Juno, the section ofthe Allied beachhead on which14,000 Canadian troops landedon D-Day June 6th, 1944.

� St.AmbroiseYouth Steppers perform traditional Métis dances during ceremony.

� MNC President ClémentChartier speaks at Juno BeachRemembrance Day ceremony.

� MNC President Clément Chartier and MMF President David Chartrandlay a wreath at Juno Beach memorial.

25

On behalf of all Métis, I express my joy and pridein being here today to commemorate andcelebrate the service and sacrifice of the MétisNation’s greatest heroes; our veterans of the world wars.

To be here today at this wonderful memorial, at thebeaches of Normandy where so many of our fathers,grandfathers, uncles and cousins fought and died -- andbe among those who fought and survived -- is a feeling Iwill cherish forever.

To our veterans, I say thank you from the bottom ofmy heart for stopping the scourge of fascism thatthreatened to enslave all of mankind. For upholding thebasic rights and freedoms of humanity. For enabling all ofus to strive for peace, prosperity and dignity in our time.For making possible the tremendous social, economic andscientific progress of the post-war era. By fighting for andprotecting these fundamental principles of democracy,you laid the foundations of our political movement whichstrives to improve the conditions of our people.Whateveradvances we have made, we owe to you and what you didon the battlefield many years ago.

I am also very pleased to be standing among twochampions of the cause of Métis veterans.

President David Chartrand of the Manitoba MétisFederation has waged a relentless campaign over manyyears to have our veterans recognized. It is largely to hiscredit that this great event has occurred.

The Honourable Chuck Strahl, the FederalInterlocutor for Métis, committed himself to recognizingour veterans from the start of our meaningful andproductive relationship with him.His being here today tostand with our heroes is testimony to his commitment.

I also wish to thank the Juno Beach Centre for itssupport and cooperation in making the exhibition possible.

Making it a permanent part of the First Peoples Hallsays much of how we all feel about commemorating andcelebrating our veterans.

On that note, let me conclude by quoting my friend,Minister Strahl, who told leaders of the Métis Nationearlier in the year: “Commemorating the achievements ofthe Métis veterans is something we should all becommitted to: today... tomorrow ....forever.”

Thank you; and a special thank you to my fellow Métiscitizens who have journeyed here today to help inhonoring ourVeterans: brave Métis warriors, one and all.

Marsi.

Speech by CLÉ́MENT CHARTIERMétis National Council PresidentPresented on November 11, 2009at the Juno Beach Center, Courseulles-sur-Mer, France

Today... tomorrow... forever

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� Natalie Worthington, Director of theJuno Beach Interpretive Centre

Charlie St. Germaine andMMF youth Christie Lavalleelay wreath at Juno Beachmemorial.

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B eing at France's Juno Beach on RemembranceDay 2009 was nothing like the Allied assault onJuno Beach of 1944.On this day, the sun wasshining, the surf and the seagulls were the only noises atthe water's edge, and the welcome mat was out for anyand all Canadians.The 1944 reality was apparently closerto the opening scene from the movie Saving Private Ryan.Veterans don't like to watch that movie.

The ten or so veterans I was with on November 11thwere Métis, there as guests of the Métis NationalCouncil.We were at Juno Beach to unveil a tribute to thethousands of Métis who had volunteered, fought andproudly served alongside other Canadians in the war. Ofcourse, we were also there to remember and honour themany,many soldiers (and in the case of the veterans,friends and countrymen) who never returned to Canada,but lay beneath French soil in immaculately-keptgravesites, row on row.

It was my first visit to Juno.We drove out from Parison Remembrance Day morning, stopping first to lay awreath at the Bretteville-sur Laize CanadianWarCemetery, where 2,793 Canadian soldiers lie buried.Wewere escorted around the site by one of the local mayors,who spoke reverently of Canada's sacrifice some 65 yearsago.“Look at their ages”, he kept saying, as we looked atthe tombstones. “So young. So young”.We stopped byone grave marker that the mayor singled out. It showedthe age as 16 years old.“He was actually only 15 years and9 months old”, said the mayor, who seemed to knowevery detail of Canada's sacrifice.“He lied about his ageto join up. He was the youngest Allied soldier killed”.

We left the cemetery and joined the veterans for lunchat a Juno Beach restaurant.There was lots of laughter andtears too as the emotional rollercoaster continued for usall.The veteran sitting across from me had joined theservice at 14 years old, and was only 19 when he stormedashore. I sat beside “Francis”, who was dressed in hisoriginalWWII uniform. Captured shortly after landing,he spent the next 11 months as a POW.“It was horrible”,he said,“but it's down at the beach where I have theworst memories. I don't like to go to the beach. It bringsback the nightmares”.

After lunch we had time to stop at the Beny-sur-MerCanadianWar Cemetery where another 2,049 soldiers areburied.More local mayors were waiting to show us

by HON. CHUCK STRAHLMinister for Indian Affairs and Northern Developmentand Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-status Indians

continued page 29

RememberingVeteransat Juno Beach

� (left) Minister Strahl with Deb Strahl. (right) Minister Strahl speakswith Francis Godon.

� Minister Chuck Strahl speaks at the Juno Beach Remembrance Dayceremony.

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� Charlie St. Germaine, Edmond Gagne, Leo Goulet, Donn Fowler, Joseph Gagnon, Oscar Lacombe and Jim Loutitt.

� The Canadian Cemetery at Beny-Sur-Mer, France

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around, and a police escort was there, too. Deep respect forCanada was evident everywhere.My Assistant Deputy MinisterFred Caron was with me (he is still involved in the military as aHonourary Colonel with the Canadian Grenadier Guards, andhe was in full dress uniform) as we laid another wreath at thememorial.While I searched out and paid tribute to the soldiersfrom Chilliwack buried there, Colonel Caron wandered off fromthe delegation to lay wreaths at the tombstones of severalmembers from his own Regiment. He also stopped, I noticed,to salute the graves where brave Grenadiers were interred; onesoldier honouring another.

Back to the beach we went where the ceremonies wouldtook place only 100 meters or so from the high tide mark. Bynow there were 7-8 mayors in attendance, a representative of theFrench government, our own Ambassador, with many locals andvisitors in the crowd.One of the veterans- his hands shaking buthis voice strong- closed the speeches by reading out the famous,'they shall not grow old as we grow old ... we will rememberthem”. Dozens of wreaths and flower sprays were laid.Theveterans, the Métis, and the French certainly remember as didthe entire crowd.

We cut the ribbon on a Métis exhibit in the Juno Center,then Deb and I took a moment to find her Uncle Merle's nameon the memorial plaques outside.Merle had survived landing onthe beach, but had been seriously injured taking out amachinegun nest in the days that followed. He lived, but onlyone of his arms was ever functional, the machinegun bullethaving smashed his other elbow beyond repair. He enjoyed agood long life back in Canada, and I remember him as a cheerful

and positive man.He didn't talk about the war a lot.Our final visit that day was with the mayor of Caen, the local

town- about Chilliwack's size- that was basically obliteratedduring the war. By now it was late in the day, but the mayorstayed and waited in order to show us around one of the fewbuildings that survived the war, a former monastery that wasnow his city hall.

The mayor was a gracious host, and made sure our delegationunderstood the gratitude his countrymen felt towards Canada.Again, it was humbling to think that 65 years after the war, ourveterans were still being revered. In the Council chambers atCaen, a Canadian flag flies beside France's flag.They haven'tforgotten the sacrifice of the thousands of soldiers who liberatedtheir city.

The trip to Juno was the first time since I was elected in 1993that I missed Remembrance Day ceremonies in my own electoraldistrict. Part of me was worried that by leaving my own riding onthat day, I wouldn't be there to pay tribute to our local veterans.In retrospect, for this one day, being overseas with our veterans tohonour them at the scene of their sacrifice was the right thing todo.To say the least, it made a lasting impression on me.

God willing, next year I will honour our veterans onRemembrance Day at a local cenotaph.And when I do, I’llremember the veterans I met in France and the commitment ofthe French people to never forget their sacrifice. For me thesignificance of the ceremony will be a little greater and myemotions that much closer to the surface.

“At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we willremember them.”

from page 27

� Edmond Gagne, Joseph Gagnon, Francis Godon, Charlie St. Gemaine & Howard Dickenson

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� Marc Lortie, Canadian Ambassador to France� Oscar Lacombe, KoreanVeteran

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� Grand Chief Ron Evans,Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and Francis Godon

� Alex Maurice and George Raymond� Ed Charrier and Donn Fowler

� Métis National Council President Clément Chartier and the Hon. Chuck Strahl cut the ribbon opening the Métis exhibit at the Juno Beach Centre.

MÉTIS EXHIBITJuno Beach Centre

I started building carts in 2001while I was the entertainmentcoordinator for the St. NorbertMétis Local.

At the time, nobody knew howto build a working Red River cartand, with the help of elders andmuch research, we came up with aworking blueprint.

I was most recently honouredto be invited to take part in theconstruction of the Red Rivercart to be set up at the Juno BeachMuseum's MétisVeterans Exhibitin Courseille-sur-mer France. Itwas an amazing culturalexperience, one I will not soonforget.

– Armand Jerome

� MMF President David Chartrand explains significance of the Red River Cart to Marc Lortie, Canada’sAmbassador to France, and Minister Chuck Strahl.

� Red River car t builders: Orille Haugan,Armand Jeromeand Fabian LeClair

� MNC President Chartier andMinister Strahl. 33

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350 Sparks St., Suite 201, Ottawa, ON K1R 7S8Tel: (613) 232-3216 or (800) 928-6330

www.metisnation.ca

Photo Credits: Metis Nation of Alber ta, Clement Chartier, GregTaylor & Ian Horner

� The Métis Exhibit unveiled November 2009at the Juno Beach Interpretive Centre.