Poppies by Sarah Hair Olson (Photo: youcaring.com)
Veterans honoured in Sherbrooke
http://ici.radio-canada.ca/sujet/legion-d-honneur-2015-quebec
Roland Moisan
Yesterday, my uncle Roland Moisan, now more than 92 years old, a veteran who survived D-Day, received the Légion d’honneur, France’s highest award, for his role during World War II.
My uncle was a volunteer who left for Europe in 1941. It was a long trip: three weeks. The ships had to avoid German submarines. When they got to Liverpool, bombs were falling.
The day my uncle and fellow soldiers left England, they did not know what duty had been assigned to them. The débarquement, D-Day, had to be a secret. The soldiers loaded what they were told to load unto boats and it turned out their destination was Normandy.
I visited all the beaches and cliffs of the débarquement. How did they survive? My uncle says that those who should be decorated are his fallen comrades. He was then tall, strong, nimble and the soldiers had been well-trained.
There was no disorder, but they were in hell. Men were falling. It must have been horrible to see comrades killed. When this happens, one must wonder why one is spared death.
A Moment of Grace
As the soldiers who had survived travelled north, towards Germany, my uncle was transporting young prisoners of war. Two of them got ahold of him and lowered his head. He lost his rifle. If these prisoners had not lowered my uncle’s head, it would have been severed by a wire. They had saved his life. One of the prisoners then picked up the fallen rifle and returned it to my uncle, smiling.
These soldiers were the innocent victims of Adolf Hitler and his Nazis. That’s what they were, and so was my uncle. Roland Moisan says he will never forget that one moment. It was a moment of grace.
Poppy Field
© Micheline Walker
9 November 2015
WordPress
Micheline's Blog 
Congratulations and a sincere “thank you” to your uncle. Thank you for telling a bit of his story. 🙂
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My uncle has seldom talked about his four years in Europe, except at first. But I’m glad he told that one story. Imagine being saved by prisoners of war. Fortunately they hadn’t been perceived as the “enemy” and hadn’t been tied up. That’s the reason why they could save my uncle’s life and give him back his rifle. They saw the wire and listened to their instinct. Thank you for writing.
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Congrats, Micheline. Your uncle and his generation were so incredibly generous, and I feel that their sacrifice can be easily forgotten. So much manipulation of their example, by politicians and even movies, often distorts the fact that, below all pseudo-hype or fakery, these were real people who fought to preserve an ideal and defend the common good. Can’t thank them enough, specially while they’re still around. Cheers
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That story reflects the truth of W. W. II. Can you imagine prisoners of war saving the “enemy”? There was no enemy except for Hitler and his Nazis. What the prisoners saw was another ordinary human being and they saved his life. They weren’t even tied up or restrained in any way. Ironically, as prisoners, they were relatively “safe” and their country was about to be liberated, at an enormous cost. There was no such thing as an enemy behind every gun and we have one more proof. There was a dictator and his men. France will no longer decorate Canadian veterans. The others have died. Thank you for writing. 🙂
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Congratulations to your uncle. The opening of Saving Private Ryan comes to mind.
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Derrick,
One does think of Saving Private Ryan. These were ordinary soldiers. My uncle and the prisoners who saved him survived. So “Lest we forget.” It’s such a touching story, but real. Thank you for writing.
Micheline
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Beautiful post and painting. Thanks for sharing.
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Thank you very much and best regards.
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Thank you. The story about the prisoners of war is particularly touching. I hadn’t heard it. 🙂
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It’s hard for old soldiers to accept honours but I am glad to see them recognised. Each year that passes they feel the loss of those who died more and more.
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Dear Gallivanta,
It’s very hard. My uncle enrolled out of a sense of duty. In 1941, several European countries were occupied and the Holocaust had started. In his eyes, he did what he had to do and, somehow, survived. In his eyes, those whose died deserve medals. But Europe was liberated. He accepted his award and it will remain a family treasure. The Canadian government provided him and all veterans with a little white house he has never left. And now, Paris has been the target of terrorists. I will get a copy of Albert Schweitzer’s book. Love, Micheline
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My wife and I both being veterans send you hugs for the message and image above. Thank you for honoring veterans with your pen! Love, hugs and blessings always Micheline my dear sister!
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Both you and your wife are veterans. So you have seen evil. So did my uncle. Yet, for him there was an extraordinary moment. German prisoners of war saved his life and returned his riffle to him. They were good human beings who had had to play a terrible role. They must have sensed that as prisoners they were no longer in any danger. I think they also sensed my uncle was a good person, which he is. He was married to my father’s sister.
Leonardo’s painting of St James the less is a favourite. For me it is confirmation of Da Vinci’s genius and of his ability to depict all things human in one image. I wrote the post so I could show the image. You are a dear brother Wendell. I am blessed.
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