Operation Remembrance: A Trip to the Netherlands!

This past week, we returned from the Netherlands, where our contingent for Operation Remembrance embarked on many new adventures! It was an incredible opportunity for our 20 cadets and faculty, as we stayed in the city of Oss. The Dutch welcomed us warmly at Maasland College, and we were billeted with lovely Dutch families, allowing each student to form wonderful friendships with students their age.

On September 19, we participated in the liberation parade and remembrance ceremony in Oss. We marched through the streets with Dutch flags flying and a crowd cheering us on! Our cadets, resplendent in their highland kit and school blazers, looked truly impressive.

 

The remembrance service that followed was a poignant moment to pay our respects to the Canadians and Dutch who lost their lives during WWII in the Netherlands. Pipe Major Ezra Sasaki '26 played a lament, and Isabelle Sampson '28 laid a wreath alongside her Dutch friend. Rowan Francis '27 served as our parade commander, and many of our students and faculty had very important roles in the service, including Ms. Stephanie Fillman, who led our choir in singing "The White Cliffs of Dover." Mr. Kevin Lakes spoke eloquently, introducing Dr. Paul Kavanaugh, the founder of Operation Remembrance. The service culminated in a wonderful meal, lively music, dancing, and a celebration of the liberation of Oss in 1944!

It was a significant day, and we are grateful to have been a part of it.