Neepawa and District Air Cadets to take part in D-Day anniversary

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Published on Thursday, May 8, 2014

By: Kate Jackman-Atkinson

myWestman.ca

At the end of this month, members of the Neepawa and District Air Cadet Squadron No. 9 will be heading oversees to take part in the 70th anniversary of D-Day.

In total, 18 participants – both cadets and chaperones – will be taking part in the trip, leaving May 30 and returning June 9.

Planning and fundraising for the trip has been in progress for the last two years and as the days count down to the group’s departure, there’s only some final packing left to do. This is the first oversees trip the Neepawa cadet group has undertaken.

Commanding Officer Captain Mark Anderson said that the trip has been organized to help the cadets – whose ages range from 13 to 18 years of age – connect with area residents who experienced World War II first hand. 

The trip will begin in Italy, an area where many soldiers from the area fought.

Following three days in Italy, the group will travel to France where they will spend four days.  Their time in France will include taking part in the 70th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy on June 6.

More than 60,000 cadets and 100,000 people will take part in this event, which is expected to be one of the last major anniversaries in which veterans of World War II will be able to participate.

To help make the Italian Campaign and the D-Day landings more personal to the cadets, each cadet will be paired with a soldier from the area who fought in the war. They will learn about the soldier’s life, retrace their steps and visit their grave. 

Anderson said it will help the cadets understand what the men went through, their lives as well as the experience of the soldiers on the ground.

“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity for the cadets,” said Anderson.