Veteran marks anniversary of D-Day on Juno Beach

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There are many more trees on Juno Beach now than there were 60 years ago, observed Sweetgrass First Nation (Struck-Him-On-The-Back) veteran Philip Favel.

"There were hardly any trees or shrubs back then."

Favel, who was on the beaches of Normandy in the days following D-Day, returned to Juno Beach for the 60th anniversary commemorations on June 6.

D-Day, June 6, 1944, marked the beginning of the end of German control of western Europe during the Second World War. A force of 155,000 allied troops landed on the northwest coast of France that day and pushed inland, forcing a German retreat. While the campaign was successful, the victory came at quite a cost. On D-Day alone, 340 Canadians were killed in their attempts to take Juno Beach. By the end of the Normandy invasion, more than 5,000 Canadians had died, another 13,000 injured or captured.

Favel, Grand Chief of the Saskatchewan First Nations Veterans Association (SFNVA) was joined at the D-Day anniversary commemoration by fellow First Nation veteran George Horse from Thunderchild First Nation, and the two swapped stories and remembrances. They both remembered seeing a house near the landing.

"We must have landed in the same area," noted the 82-year-old Favel.

He and Horse were among a handful of Canadian First Nation veterans attending the ceremonies. Gilbert McLeod and Gerald Bird of Peepeekisis First Nation were there, as was former SFNVA grand chief Howard Anderson from Gordon First Nation. The Second World War vets were joined by Allan Bird from Montreal Lake Cree Nation, a veteran of the Korean Conflict.

"It was very nice to be there. It was nice to a lot of people," Favel said. "We don't know each other, but we respected each other. That's the way it should be."

His recent trip marked the first time Favel has been to the beaches of Normandy since the war. He remembered the beach having 20 to 30 foot tides-enough water to flood the parking lot now situated there.

In 1941, a 19-year-old Favel enlisted in the armed forces (then called Selective Services) in North Battleford and in 1943 was sent overseas for training. He arrived on Juno Beach on June 7, 1944, posted as a supply truck driver.

"My point was to go to Bayou and to go back to the beach. That was my orders-to deliver ammunition and gas," he said.

Favel can't remember if he ate or slept that day on Juno Beach. He said he's found that many veterans don't really remember much about the war. There are many things he wishes he could remember.

He returned to North Battleford July 29, 1945 to his wife Dora and saw their first child, Bernadette, for the first time.

Favel met with Gov. Gen. Adrienne Clarkson during the D-Day commemorations. He told her that if it weren't for soldiers who were willing to fight for freedom, Canada would not be the nation it is today. Favel said Clarkson just nodded and smiled.

Favel shared the historic moment with his grandson, Shaun, who travelled with him for the ceremonies. Shaun said he felt privileged to attend.

"They (veterans) were telling me stories, some of which I knew already," he said.

"You could feel the emotion from everybody," he said. "It was like going back in time."

Favel feels some people, even in the First Nations population, don't have respect for him or the other First Nations veterans-something that he is puzzled about. These men broke their treaty by joining the army because they wanted the right to defend their own country.

"Why let someone else do that?" he asked.