Veterans lay wreaths in Remembrance of Normandy, 80 years ago

“Today we honour all the brave soldiers that stormed the beach on D-Day. Their heroic effort was the turning point, that would eventually bring the war to an end. There were many that sacrificed their lives that day,” said Paris Legion Branch 29 President Donald MacLeod following a special wreathe laying ceremony at the Cenotaph on June 6th. In attendance, among Legion members and area residents, was Paris’ last living World War 2 veteran, Henry Foster (pictured inset above). Henry was an 18year-old member of the Royal Canadian Navy during World Ward 2. He was on a supply ship in the English Channel while Canadian troops stormed Normandy. This month, council voted in support of renaming West River Lane to Henry Foster Street in honour of the Paris veteran. The Foster family lived near West River Lane when they first arrived in Paris over 50 years ago. This renaming is a heartfelt tribute to Mr. Foster's remarkable contributions and his enduring connection to our community. Remember D-Day as Paris Past columnist Chris Whelan recounts the significant battle in Canadian history on pages 15-16. Below Steve Kitchen lays a wreath. A total of three wreaths were left on the cenotaph – a Government of Canada wreath, a Royal Canadian Branch 29 wreath and one representing the 80th anniversary of D-Day.