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8--The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, March 19, 2002 i 878-2881 o >xeb' ý Second World War veteran is honoured with commemorative medal from Dutch Embassy By FANNIE SUNSHINE The Champion George St. Cyr is a brave man. At the age of 17, when most young men would be chasing girls, Mr. St. Cyr was dodging bulles. "I signed up for thse vear when 1 was 17, even lbough you had 10 be 18 to eniut," he recalled. "I had to get my parents 10 give me permis- si0n t0 go." He trained as a tank gunner and wireless operator before he was sent off to deutroy the German enemy. "I was nover seriously injured, juut somne littie scars bere and tisere. 1 was lucky." In appreciation of the Canadian soldiers who fougist during the Second World War, tise Dutch Embassy in H-olland, through tise Canadian Dutcis Lgion, presented Dutch Commemorative Modals to 70 veterans at a ceremony March 10 in Ancauter. "To me, tise medal means lhey appreciate what we did for tliem. Tise medal is juns a piece of metal, but it's tise thoughl beisind il. lt's nice 10 gel a hle recognition. 1 know it's sin- cere." M. St. Cyr read about the Dulch Commemnorative Modal while flip- ping tisrougis tise Legion Magazine. -1 had 10, have a background check done and tison 1 received tise louter saying 1 was 10 receive tise medal." Altisougis he migisl have been eager 10 sign up for tise war, once ise was actually in tise middle of tise crosuf ire, he wasn'l as enthused. "During training 1 enjoyed army life." ho said. "My first sbock of anx- iety came wisen we had 10 travel from England 10 France by lug boat. You could isear tise guns going wiîh live ammunition. They jusl dumped you off tise boat -tisaIs when you knew you were in for il." For 10 bomrfying days, Mr. St. Cyr and isis fellow soldiers wore orderod 10 isold down Eslerwegen concentra- lion camp, wisicis was located nortis- east of Germany near tise Duteis bor- der. "Tie German force was nol strong but tisey made life miserable for ut," ho recalled. "Fiey would tisrow grenades aI ut and wisipped tise prisoners. 'hose poor people were living in wooden huts and were ahl ukin and bonies. Wo Wried 10 give themn as mucis food as wo could." Ho oven managed 10 steal sevon medals ho found in a drawer belong- ing 10 tise Germas Commandant of tise concentration camp. which are displayod in a framne on lise wall near tise entranco of bis home. But porisaps one of bis mosl torr- fying experiences during tise war came wisen ho was tise lone soldier observing a Germas convoy froin a hay stack. "I had a tield phono and I would caîl 10 givo tise range as 10 where tise Gormans were located. They figured tise only place somoone could ho bld- ing was in lthe hay stack, 50 they started shootmng. 'Me clay shingles on tise bouse in back of me were bursting ail over tise place. 1 wanted 10 gel int tise basement of tise bouse, s0 1 dove through tise glass window and slid down tise stops into tbree foot of waler.lThe bouse was ovenlu- ally demnolisised but 1 managed 10 crawl out." But when tise war was over, tise soldiers were aI a buss of what to do nexl. "Wisen it was announcod tise war was over, we justlIooked at cacis other - we didn't know what 10 do. We woro kind of bust for a while." M. St. Cyr retumod to Milton and wont back to bis old job in tise wood- workmng shop aI Nortel, wbere ho romained for 40 yoars. Ho rolired 17 years ago as tise plant manager. Nowadays, tise 77-year-old can ho found constructing model sbips in bis basement. "Paying close attention 10 tise delail of tise sis is wbat makes il fun," ho said with a smille. Photo by GRAHAM P'AINE George St. Cyr shows the Dutch Commemorative Medal he was presented with during a special ceremony earlier this month. xi COGECO 14 Programming Schedule - March l8th - March 25th, 2002. Lae W ek Edlee :0a P6MË n!r il0ar PiLdI n 10 900aI PIuge w 9am lOue Ilamr Pluqged, 600e9,ca PIuç9eAVlr 10ayWekEt Srady Week Edg EÈy Week dem & Aroon Late Week Ediior Late WeeEdgS 100 1dy Ç 10,00ev Tuesday Rplay 10 00ar PIedr a vReAr 5pm. 6pm & 730pm Plugged W 10 O0ev Sur0ay Repley KSpaïIeIuIOI IINOI flIOd Em 5 p 73mNWd' - 5m m vp Plue n 5m, 6& 3p,,60gg n' Lae PIeeE AIq PI eIeAEM LatePIeek Eoîer 5pm 6Rel&A7 0pe PIvggeVîri 5.0p Wgh Good aEe Eady Week Edk 01 M0ne1 Aeek EaeyWeek Auner 5:3ap Seff Heel6Cue Olpr PIp Gef Tmcs e 0m WhG et Spaak895, 5çeZO6 6:30e, Opffl TVA65n (Le A:0 A& Ant(we OnaroP ePadehi pebale TOCyn Pe05e6peak ~ 0e Aeywe NORTH HALTON STUDIO W41 » Mý w Laurier Plaza .41Ap -ew oM800pr Ne5enuar t egbuo 70»m pesek 500 Launer Avenue *..'ag Wartfi 8 »001 SpOI1uOO8AA Lier 905.87&NALT 30 KS.ping North Halton Tumed ON!