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I live in Holland Landing, Ontario that is but I did visit Holland in 2005 for the 60th anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands as part of the official Canadian veterans group! I was a care giver for my older brother that dropped food from his Halifax bomber during the war to the Dutch people who were starving.He was the pilot of the bomber and won a Distinguished Service Cross for saving the lives of his crew when he was shot down over France later in the war and imprisoned by the Germans. We stayed at the Golden Tulip in Epp! I visited a lot of places in Holland and met a lot of Dutch people and shook hands with Holland's Queen Beatrix. I also met our Gov General and the prime minister along with many other officials!
The Dutch people were wonderful and cheered loudly as the vets went on parade! It's a great country and really nice people ... and Tulips!! The Dutch maintain Canadian war dead graves in pristine condition, many of the dead not even in their twenty's! Each veteran was allowed a travel companion / caregiver all expense paid and spending cash! Free flight over and back on military aircraft! when we got off the plane in Holland there was a large military band and our young Canadian soldiers posted there helped us off the plane, got us food and drink then helped us on the buses!
I also met Smokey Smith and spoke with him a few times! He was a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was the last living Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross. He passed away in 2005 shortly after his return from Holland! I could see he was ill and he told me he didn't like the trip it was very wet and rained quite a bit. He was in a wheelchair and soldiers had to carry him on and off the plane up steep stairs while he sat in the chair, very disturbing!