TOSH World Tour 2015 Edition: VE 70th

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WWII : Canada & The Netherlands 2/7

April 28, 2015

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Day 5..On the Road Again….Just Can’t Wait…Yes we can Willie

Up early and gone by 7:15 and since we have a 3:30 drive ahead of us we let the kids sleep for a little bit. Typically what happens when we hit the bus our tour director David Harrod grabs the mic and starts to discuss the days events and the history behind it, but since we have been moving at a pretty good clip, David backs off a little bit. They will get plenty later in the day so we are not concerned. Kids are holding up well both physically and emotionally, because what they underestimate is the emotional ups and downs that we so often see on these tours. This is never considered a “trip”, always considered a “pilgrimage” and an “experience” and I can tell you that we bang on once again. Today’s excursion will be a first for me as we head to Ysselsteyn German cemetery. This stop was a more recent add on by EF and it was well worth it. The history of Ysselsteyn is one of a typical Dutch village during war times as it was quickly overthr...

Day 8...Holten CWG and freedom for the students!!!

Up early because we have a full but fun day…after some usual business of course. We are off to Holten CWG this morning where we will lay a plaque for a Cheverie lad from Summerside and also the kids will also find each of the 19 other graves of Islanders buried here. Most of these young men, were killed less than 30 days and some less then a week before the end of the Nazi regime in the Netherlands. After a little drive (in the pouring rain once again!!!) we arrive in this beautiful cemetery that is set in the woods of this beautiful town. Almost every house in this town has a Canadian flag and about every 40 feet there is permanent signage that exemplifies there to commitment to remember. Very moving to see these permanent structures dedicated to our fine young men and women of 70 years ago. In this cemetery, we have 19 islanders to recognize and one especially to lay a plaque for Sapper Frederick Charles Cheverie with the Royal Cana...

Day 6...Oh Canada x 100...thanks again Wageningen!!!

Five years ago today I figured out what it was like to be a Canadian abroad.... especially in the Netherlands! Let me qualify that point, when I first set foot on the soil of Vimy almost 10 years ago, I figured out why it was important to be Canadian. Vimy solidified the ideals of a Canadian and I truly feel that its extremely important for every Canadian to visit the site if physically able to, hence the reason why we always refer to these tours as pilgrimages. The ceremony the kids were a part of last night in Groesbeek, by the way if you would like to pronounce it correctly then you should load up about a full pound of spit in the upper part of your chest and then say "Rusbeck"(meant to do my language lesson last night...my apologies!!!) But I digress...back to the topic at hand. About all I can say is thank you once again to the people of the Netherlands, which is funny because the most common thing we heard all day was the same statement. I do real...

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WWII : Canada & The Netherlands 2/7

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