MAIDSTONE — It was a trip of a lifetime for Maidstone history teacher, Natasha Wicks. Wicks was one of 23 teachers chosen from across Canada to attend the Juno Beach Centre Summer Institute and Battlefield Tour from July 29 to Aug. 5.
During this eight-day tour, participants visit the Canadian battlefields at Ypres, Vimy Ridge, Dieppe, the D-Day landing beaches and Falaise, as well as many memorials, museums and cemeteries across Belgium and France. Wicks, a history and social studies teacher from Maidstone was one of two Saskatchewanians chosen from the many entries.
“This was a chance to walk in the footsteps of Canadian soldiers who fought in both World Wars and pass the experience on to my students,” Wicks reflects. “It’s incredible that my feet touched the sand where so many brave soldiers fought so hard for our freedoms.”
“It was really eye-opening,” said Wicks. “We often know the details of the wars, but it is harder to transmit the heart and sacrifice of our brave soldiers and civilians.”
For example, she learned of the subtle but very powerful acts of resistance on the part of the resilient French, that are not often in textbooks. One example lay in the building of Nazi bunkers. French locals were forced to build Nazi bunkers on the Normandy coast for Hitler’s Atlantic Wall – an extensive system of coastal defences and fortifications built by Nazi Germany. The locals would turn the cinder blocks on their sides rather than upright and then cover them with concrete mixed with sugar, reducing the strength of the concrete bunkers with hopes the bunkers would fall in on the Nazis.
The most extraordinary experience, though, came from the many locals who have Canadian flags on their balconies, street lamps and buildings. “I was so surprised to see more Canadian flags in Normandy than I see back home,” said Wicks. “The love and pride they have for the Canadians stem from our boys being the first to liberate their towns from Nazi occupation.”
The group met and spent time with locals who remember the day the Canadian boys came ashore and fought back the Nazis and took back the many towns along the coast. One powerful moment came as they walked the same streets that the Canadians walked as they liberated one house after another. Many locals greeted them with, “Welcome, sons and daughters of our liberators.” This left a lasting impression on Wicks. “I just had to pause when I heard that greeting. I couldn’t help myself but that one sentence brought tears to my eyes.”
In one town of Mesnil Patry, the Alexandres family, along with other descendants of those liberated by Canadians, served the group an incredible meal preceded by a small ceremony commemorating the Canadian soldiers. Although many were in their 90s, they continued to thank the Canadian teachers for keeping history alive and not allowing the youth to forget.
“They made sure to impress upon us the importance of transmitting the messages to our younger generations. We are all coming home to our students and taking that call seriously.”
On the final day of the tour, the Canadian teachers were guests at the 80th anniversary in Bretteville Canadian Cemetery at Cinteaux-sur-Laize where the final victory for Canadians took place in the Battle of Normandy. It was the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Caen and Falaise. There were dignitaries from across the province and every Major from Normandy region was there. “They sat us teachers in the front rows as special guests!” Three thousand Canadian soldiers are buried in this cemetery where the flag flies proudly above them.
“Juno Beach provided me with a once-in-a-lifetime experience that was life-changing as a history teacher. I am already planning on how to share these experiences with my students in an authentic way in honour of all who served and endured all the hardships and fears so that we could live in peace.”
