I had the honour of attending a British Travel Writers Award ceremony in London last week, at which Belgium tourism officials had a moving tribute to folks who fought in World War I.
The 100th anniversary of that terrible, terrible war is coming up next year, and there will be plenty of opportunities to learn more about Canadians and Americans and British soldiers and others who died for their country.
It’s also the 70th anniversary of the D-Day invasion during World War II. And a Canadian company is making it easy to remember the occasion.
Baldwin Verstraete, President Verstraete Travel Cruises has been “Keeping the memory alive” by organising anniversary tours for veterans and their families since 1990. In 2014 Baldwin is offering two tours to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of D-day at the Juno Beach Centre in Normandy on June 6th.
KEEPING THE MEMORY ALIVE FOLLOW THE INVASION, D-DAY 70TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR,
May 31 – June 12, 2014
Verstraete Travel Cruises and Martin and Helen Boomsma invite Canadian War Veterans, their family members and friends, and any interested Canadians on their 11th “Keeping the Memory Alive” tour of the World War 1 and World War 2 Canadian battlefields in Europe. Experience the history and emotions as they visit these major Canadian battlefields, memorials and cemeteries in England, France and Belgium. Highlights will include a guided tour of London, the gravesite of Col. John McCrae, Dieppe Beaches, Normandy for the 70th D-Day Anniversary at the Juno Beach Centre, Ieper and Amsterdam.
D-DAY NORMANDY 70 TH ANNIVERSARY – June 2 – June 12, 2014
Verstraete Travel Cruises and John Hetherington, History Teacher, North Bay, Ontario invite Canadian War Veterans, their family members and friends, and any interested Canadians to join him on this special D-Day Normandy 70th Anniversary Tour. John has been teaching history in North Bay since 1987 and has a special interest in military history exploring the WW1 and WW2 battlefields of Europe. This tour will start in Paris and then travel to Normandy for the 70th D-Day Anniversary at the Juno Beach Centre. The tour will visit Dieppe, Beaumont Hamel, the Vimy Memorial, the Menin gate and Amsterdam.
For more information contact Verstraete Travel & Cruises in Aurora.
See http://www.verstraete.com/5550-verstraete-travel-tours
Phone: (416) 969-8100 or 1-800-565-9267
E-mail: aurora@verstraete.com
