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ps Seugog Clfisen -- Tuesday, January 18, 1994 --5 . 4 Jim Leslie will represent Queen's Own Rifles Jim Leslie as a 19 year old soldier just before D-Day. by Heather McCrae Ten years ago Jim Leslie and his wife, Shirley, attended the fortieth anniversary of D-Day (June 6, 1944) in Normandy, France. Mr. Leslie, a resident of Scugog Township, will be returning again this year as a special guest for he has been . chosen by the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada Regiment to represent its soldiers and Canada at the (fiftieth anniversary of D-Day this June The Queen's Own Rifles, formed in 1860, is the oldest regiment in Canada and will be celebrating its 134th anniversary this year. Mr Leslie was a rifleman of the regiment with the"B" Company of the Eighth Brigade in the Third Division, White Nan sector In an interview with the Citizen over the weekend, Mr Leslie was asked how he felt about being chosen to represent his country at the upcoming D- Day celebrations. "I'm absolutely thrilled to be the one to represent my regiment and Canada" he said. No doubt, there will be many vets whom he hasn't seen since the fortieth anniversary and it is always a delight to meet again and talk over 'the war days'. Yet, it is still a sad reminder of the thousands of men and women who died at such an early age. Veterans Affairs Canada will be celebrating tis important anniversary by assembling a delegation of D-Day veterans and taking them on a program of commemoprative activities in Normandy beginning June 2. A number of official ceremonies involving France and other wartime allies will take place for the next seven days. Mr. Leslie's travelling and living expenses in Canada and France will be the responsibility of the Secretary of State (Veterans). Mr. Leslie was born on December 30, 1924 and enlisted in the army when he was sixteen, "I told a fib to get in," he admits now, as the enlistment age was 18. He had two older brothers already in the army who were serving overseas and he was eager to meet up with them again. After three months of basic training at Camp Borden, Mr. Leslie was shipped overseas in October 1941 Mr. Leslie was a teenager at the time of the D-Day Landings. "I was 19 years old, scared out of my wits" he told the Citizen, "but the excitement on that day was indescribable. We had the best damned training division in England and were anxious to get into battle," Although the invasion on Normandy happened almost 50 years ago, Mr. Leslie has a vivid recollection of that day and the weeks and months following Mr. Leslie recalls he and the The Corporation of the Township of Scugog da 'NOTICE' CHRISTMAS TREE DISPOSAL Christmas Trees can be dropped off from January 10th, 1994 to January 21st, 1994 at the following locations throughout the Township: PUTSEY PARK, CAESAREA NESTLETON COMMUNITY CENTRE BLACKSTOCK ARENA PARKING LOT GREENBANK PARK SEAGRAVE PARK SCUGOG ISLAND WORKS DEPOT TOWNSHIP WORKS DEPOT, Reg. Rd. 8 PORT PERRY & PRINCE ALBERT RESIDENTS re asked to leave their vod out for pick-up at this time. PLEASE REMOVE ALL DECORATIONS & TINSEL Earl S. Cuddie, Administrator - Clerk Township of Scugog rest of the brigade were up at 0315 hours on their mother ship and before climbing into their LCI they were all given a good shot of navy rum, "enough to stand your hair on end." The "B" Company landed on Juno Beach and after a bloody battle with the Germans, captured their objectives (prisoners, pillboxes and the Atlantic Wall). Later, they formed up what was left of the company, moving inland eight miles, capturing towns and villages on the way, and made the deepest penetration of any of the allied units on June 6. Mr. Leslie recalls the many sleepless nights in the water- filled trenches and the horrors of the war. Memories flood back to the raid on the Carpiquet airfield and then on to Falaise where they were able to close the gap on the German army. Mr. Leslie says, "Sergeant Aubrey Cousins of the "D" Company, QOR, won the Victoria .Cross (VC) in the spring of 1945. The VC is the highest award in the British Empire, given for valour in the war. Sadly, Sergeant Cousins was killed by a sniper the same evening he received the highly recognized award. Mr. Leslie was later wounded in the abdomen. He spent a month's stay in the hospital in Rouen and was later transferred to a hospital in England where he convalesced for a further five months. Today, he receives a war pension due to this injury. The war was over in May 1945 and Mr. Leslie returned home in December of that yemr" Two years later he became employed with the City of Toronto Fire Department, giving his service for 22 years. He and his wife have lived in Scugog Township, east of Nestleton, since 1988. Two daughters, Sherri Morrison and Debbie Gay, with their families, Going back to Normandy 50 years later live in the area and son, Ron. lives in Norwood. Mr. Leslie is in reasonably good health and prides the service medils he earned in WW2. He is a member of the Legion, Branch 419. Mr. Leslie will be returning to Normandy for the 50th anniversary of the D-Day landing this coming June. LAURENTIAN MUTUAL FUNDS RRSPs m GICs m RRIFs m ANNUITIES For Professional Advice Cail JIM PARKES 571-1435 Imperial Life A MEMBER OF THE LAURENTIAN GROUP . a g- Oshawa 308 Stevenson Rd. N. 434-7700 JOES | PIZZERIA NOW OPEN IN PORT PERRY Corner of Highway 7A and Water Street Come in, try a slice, and get a free Slice Club Card! $5.00 ON A PARTY PIZZA $4.00 ON AN EXTRA LARGE PIZZA $3.00 ON A LARGE PIZZA $2.00 ON A MEDIUM PIZZA $1.00 ON A SMALL PIZZA 3 Locations to Serve You Port Perry 985-3700 oe's 1zzena Expires Monday Jarry 204 Brooklin 5900 Anderson 655-4008