Air traffic control may be the priority for Nav Canada, but it’s certainly not the only thing on their radar this season.
Hundreds of airport workers have joined a cross-seas honouring of Canadian soldiers killed in 1944 and 1945 during the Allied advance from Paris to the Rhine, which helped liberate the Netherlands.
More than 2,600 soldiers were buried in Groesbeek, Netherlands, in what is called the Canadian War Cemetery. Of those, 2,300 are graves of Canadian soldiers.
Every Christmas Eve, children from the Dutch town place candles next to the gravestones.
When Nav Canada employees learned of the tradition on YouTube, they wanted to get involved.
“They've never had an outside company do what we've wanted to do,” said Gavin van Kuppeveld, shift manager of the Edmonton-area control centre.
The workers created a 6.7-metre long banner that sports the names of each soldier buried in Groesbeek, then paid to sponsor every one.
“I'm actually shocked at the response we got on this,” van Kuppeveld said.
To date, the effort by the Nav Canada employees has raised $12,500—enough to pay for the candle memorial for at a least a few years.
“It means a lot for us,” said Gerard Hendriks, president of Royal Canadian Legion Branch 005 in the Netherlands. “We are trying to keep the memory alive. We don't want to forget these boys.”
Groesbeek will light the candles in a ceremony on Dec. 24.
Nav Canada agreed to match the amount raised. Van Kuppeveld said the other $12,500 was donated to Wounded Warriors Canada, an organization that supports ill and injured members of the Canadian Armed Forces.
Those interested can donate to the various causes via:
- Wounded Warriors of Canada
- Emailing Nav Canada; funds donated to Navigation Canada will be taken by the group to the Netherlands for presentation to the candle lighting committee on Nov. 29.
- Mail:
Royal Canadian Legion Branch 005
“Liberation of the Netherlands”
c/o Dominion Command
86 Aird Place, Ottawa, ONT K2L0A1
With files from Dan Grummett
