A Legion service for her

Heroes Remember

A Legion service for her

Transcript

I love the Legion. And she was . . . at that time I went in for president and she was in the ladies' auxiliary. They needed a president, that says to her "Are you willing to go as first vice?" She says "No." She says "If I'm going in, I’m going in as president. He is in, and I am in." So we both went the same time as president. And that worked out good. You have no family life once you're in president. Family life, forget about it. You have meetings to go to, and this go and that go, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Comradeship, after I was alone, left . . . they did a lot for me. Yeah, they did a lot. Yeah, there was, I had the pallbearers from the legion. The legion service for her. So that's, that's beautiful. Couldn't do without it. So . . . I'm proud . . . I don't knock Holland down either, that's still where I was born, but I lived 19 years in Holland and was three years overseas and then I went here. So I lived more in this country than I did in Holland. Nobody realize that. I don't mind going home you know, as soon as you get by Labrador you know, I'm home again. If I see Newfoundland, I'm home again. Kind of stupid . . . I'm home again.

Description

Mr. Beukema reflects on the importance of the Legion to him and his wife, as well as his pride in being Canadian.

Laurens Beukema

Mr. Beukema was born in Forbruk, Holland, in 1927. He and his family lived through the hardships caused by the German occupation and the subsequent joy of liberation by the Canadian army. After serving overseas for three years in the Dutch Army, Mr. Beukema and his wife moved to Canada. Although he visits Holland often, Mr. Beukema is proud to claim Canada as his home.

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