BONNYVILLE - “You never forget the war,” says 100-year-old WWII veteran Willie McGregor. “I don't dwell on it, but I still remember things that happened there.”
McGregor, who served as a medic in the Essex Scottish Regiment during the war, will play a crucial role in Bonnyville’s Remembrance Day ceremony by laying a wreath on behalf of King Charles III, a responsibility that he carries with immense pride.
Like last year, the ceremony will be held outside the Legion building starting at 10:45 a.m.
As a medic with the Essex Scottish Regiment, McGregor administered first aid and evacuated wounded soldiers. In 2015, France awarded McGregor the rank of Knight in the Legion of Honour, for his services as a medic on Normandy beaches. Although a highly decorated veteran, the war came at a great cost.
“I had one brother who was killed in Germany, as he crossed in the Rhine River,” says McGregor.
The ceremony will feature several components, including the participation of Sea Cadets from the 252 Huron Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps, who will likely be involved in the colour party.
Bob McRae, Sergeant at Arms for Branch 183, estimates somewhere between 100-200 people are expected to attend.
He stressed the significance of honouring those who served in the past and present, coming from a long lineage of military service in his family.
“My grandfather, my father, my brother’s currently serving, my other brother served, I served,” says McRae. He emphasized the importance of paying homage to those who paved the way for Canadian’s Fundamental Freedoms, including freedom of religion, the right to vote, the freedom of assembly, and freedom of speech.
If WWII were lost, McGregor believes the world would be much different than it is now. “If we wouldn't have won that war, I don’t know what it would've been like now,” he says.
The entire event is expected to conclude around 11:30 a.m., with considerations for unpredictable weather conditions.
