Liberation of Netherlands ceremony set for May 5 in Campbell River

An event celebrating the liberation of the Netherlands during World War II is making a comeback in Campbell River this May, after a 10-year hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Organizer Pieter Koeleman said the ceremony’s main event, marking the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of Netherlands, will be held at the Campbell River cenotaph, much like the annual Remembrance Day ceremony. It will feature several guest speakers, including the Dutch Consul General in Vancouver, a commander with 19 Wing Comox, and Rev. Stephanie Wood. 

To wrap things up, the wreath-laying ceremony will include a tulip parade for kids, said Koeleman. Parents who want their children to participate should reach out for more details ahead of the event, he said. 

In 2019, the federal government declared May 5 as Dutch Heritage Day in Canada, a special occasion to celebrate the contributions that Canadians of Dutch heritage have made to the country on a social, cultural, and economic level. May 5 is also Liberation Day in the Netherlands, which marks the end of Nazi Germany’s occupation during the Second World War.

“There is a special bond between Canada and the Netherlands because the Canadian army was the most important part in liberating most of the Netherlands,” Koeleman said. “The American and the British allied troops, and also the Polish troops were involved, but they were more involved in the southern and eastern part of the Netherlands.

“With Canada, we have a special connection,” explained Koeleman, who immigrated to Campbell River from the Netherlands in 1985.

The event is being held in cooperation with Campbell River’s Royal Canadian Legion Branch 137. It will begin with the assembly at the Legion parking lot at 5:15 p.m. At 6:15 p.m., the parade to the cenotaph will take off, with the ceremony at the cenotaph beginning at 6:30 p.m. A social event at the Legion Hall is at 7:30 p.m.