A British Columbia World War II veteran D-Day He will be awarded France's highest decoration at a ceremony in Vancouver on Thursday, 80 years ago today.
Joseph Vogelgesang, 99, traveled to France with 14,000 other Canadians, beginning the liberation of Western Europe.
The French Consulate General in Vancouver said in a statement that Vogelsang will be awarded the title of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor in recognition of his service and bravery in the French War of Liberation.
Consul General Nicolas Baudouin said the medal expressed “deep gratitude” for Vogelsang's service during the war, including his contribution at the Normandy landings when he was just 19 years old.
Joseph Vogelgesang, 19, in a family photo from 1944. The French Consulate General in Vancouver said in a statement that Vogelgesang will be made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor in recognition of his service and bravery in the French War of Liberation.
The Canadian Press/HO, Vogelgesang family
Vogelgesang, who now lives in Abbotsford, British Columbia, volunteered in his native Saskatchewan when he was 17 and traveled to England in early 1944 as a member of the Calgary Highlanders.
His youngest daughter, Sharon Bunn, said the family was “filled with pride and gratitude” when they heard their father had received the French Legion of Honor.
Breaking news from Canada and around the world
Sent to your email, as it happens.
“We knew he went to war at a very young age, and now I shudder to imagine how a 17 or 18-year-old kid would go through what he went through,” said Bunn, who flew to Vancouver from Saskatchewan to mark the occasion.
“All of us are very, very proud and grateful for everything he’s done and the sacrifices he’s made.”
Although Vogelsang is considered a hero in both Canada and France, Bunn said her father was reluctant to share his experiences in the war.
“I think you can imagine, it was difficult. He shared some details, but nothing really vivid,” Bunn said.
She said Vogelsang, who lives in his apartment in the Fraser Valley city, keeps up with current events. “He’s very serious,” she said with a laugh.
(Vogelgesang married his wife, Irene, in 1945, and they have three children, nine grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
The Legion of Honor is France's highest decoration, and more than a thousand Canadian veterans have received the medal since 2014.
The consulate general said anyone who knows a living Canadian veteran who served in military operations on French soil can contact the French Embassy in Ottawa as they may be eligible for the medal.
The French Legion of Honor was founded by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 to reward meritorious service to citizens, regardless of their background.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
(Tag translation) D-Day
উৎস লিঙ্ক
