Jean-Pierre shows the Legion of Honor attached to his father’s jacket. I forget business, but World War II, not much.
Over the commemorations in Europe, Edgar Doiron ended up making peace with the war. His daughter, who accompanied him there, can attest to that.
[anniversaire du débarquement]he went to Holland for the 70th[de la libération]. Since he saw there the recognition for all that Canadians have done, now he talks about it a lot, notes Monique Doiron. Looks like it’s unlocked him, it’s doing him good. And he is proud to be recognized.”,”text”:”He went to France for the 60th[anniversaire du débarquement]he went to Holland for the 70th[de la libération]. Since he saw there the recognition for all that Canadians have done, now he talks about it a lot, notes Monique Doiron. Looks like it’s unlocked him, it’s doing him good. And he’s proud to be recognized.”}}”>He went to France for the 60th [anniversaire du débarquement]he went to Holland for the 70th [de la libération]. Since he saw there the recognition for all that Canadians have done, now he talks about it a lot, notes Monique Doiron. Looks like it’s unlocked him, it’s doing him good. And he is proud to be recognized.
A native of New Brunswick, it was in the uniform of the North Shore regiment, as a volunteer, that he landed on the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944..
” The stronger the battle, the less you were afraid. We were trying to defend ourselves. »
Edgar Doiron, in uniform, in 1941
Photo: TurnedNews.com / Courtesy
Private Doiron was then wounded in action. But he returned there to participate in the liberation of the Netherlands a few months later.
The centenary veteran no longer hesitates to speak of the fear felt in the silence of the night, on the lookout for the slightest noises that could reveal the presence of the enemy nearby.
When he returned, he was afraid of shadows, even in broad daylight. The shade frightened me terribly. It’s when I was walking and the sun cast a shadow. These memories lasted after the war, even a few years. But today, no.
” I have never regretted a minute. If I had to start over, I think I would do the same thing. »
The staff of the Le Dufferin residence in Valleyfield, where Mr. Doiron lives, celebrated this anniversary to the sound of bagpipes.
Photo: TurnedNews.com / Anne-Louise Despatie
The weight of years and medals has not altered his joie de vivre or his sense of humor.
I never thought I’d be celebrated the way I am. No, the soldier didn’t think much about that
, confesses Edgar Doiron. Only he doesn’t want to be considered a hero, just a soldier who did his job.
Just like the 200 Canadians still alive among the 14,000 who participated in the Normandy landings.
A granddaughter of veterans herself, Amélie Lépine wanted to be present at Mr. Doiron’s 100th birthday.
The teacher accompanied her own grandfather to commemorations on Juno Beach in Normandy, where Canadian soldiers landed in June 1944.
Amélie Lépine and her grandfather, Ghislain Simard, now deceased. He was a World War II veteran and visited Juno Beach in Normandy with his granddaughter in 2010.
Photo: TurnedNews.com / Amélie Lépine
She feels that history textbooks do not make enough room for the contribution of French-Canadian soldiers.
We are not yet talking about French-Canadian volunteers who went to war, and then, soon, there will be no more, she underlines. Me, I’m afraid that they and what they did will fall into oblivion
she says.
In the textbooks, conscription occupies a large place, she continues. And yes, it’s true that francophones in Quebec were mostly against conscription, but some went there anyway voluntarily, we forget them, it’s not written
recalls Amélie Lépine who provoked beautiful encounters between her students and Edgar Doiron.
Edgar Doiron and teacher Amélie Lépine who sometimes invites the veteran to talk to her high school students.
Photo: TurnedNews.com / Anne-Louise Despatie
For the war to continue to be told, it is in the schools that it must be relayed. And then, we must not believe that it does not interest young people, she insists, it interests them a lot.
In light of events in Europe, the teacher sadly concludes that there is still a lot to be said about the war.
