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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday November 12, 2008 - 17 Don Antoine Fallen comrades remembered Continued from page 1 the emotion of the day. When the time came for a moment of silence, marking the time when the guns finally fell silent across Europe in 1918, even veterans now in need of walkers rose to pay their respects to their lost friends. The great audience present for this moment represented a true cross section of Oakville with medal-bearing veterans standing beside young people bundled against the cold, while even two children in a stroller could be seen holding a sign that read, `Thank You Veterans.' A recipient of that intended thank you was Don Antoine, 86, who went off to fight in the Second World War at the age of 17. Serving as a platoon sergeant for the 40th Highlanders, Antoine's tour of duty would take him from the battlefields of Sicily and Italy to those of The Netherlands in the closing days of the war. On this Remembrance Day, Antoine's thoughts turn to those he served with and those who did not make it back to Canada. "It was comradeship that gave you the strength (to get through it). You didn't have that strength yourself," he said. "During an attack you're scared, but you were trained so well and you had your buddy with you." Though the events took place more than 60 years ago, Antoine's memories from his time at war are still as sharp as ever. One particularly painful incident, Antoine remembers, took place in Italy when Antoine's under-strength platoon was ordered to attack what was believed to be a small group of Germans. Instead, Antoine found himself facing an entire enemy company. "There was 24 of us altogether and we had eight killed, eight PHOTOS BY LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER REMEMBERING THEIR SACRIFICE: Among those gathered at George's Square for the Oakville Legion, Branch 114, Remembrance Day Parade and Service on Tuesday were (above) Sam (Roy) Forbes, (below right, l-r) Katja Zbobar, Olivia Neary-Hatton, Brady Hurley, of the St. Andrew's Children's Choir, and (below left) Regan -- holding a thank-you sign -- and Charlotte McCurly with their grandmother Wendy Fairfield. See Memories page 18