Ret. Sgt. George Dunlop, a resident of Carleton Place, is feeling very honoured this week; he’s been chosen to represent all Second World War veterans at a special ceremony in Ottawa at the national war memorial on Remembrance Day.

George, along with his wife Peggy, is to be a part of the Passing of the Torch ceremony taking place in celebration of the 90th anniversary of Armistice Day, the ending of the First World War.

“It’s nice that they want to commemorate it,” said Peggy, adding that it is an honour to be a part of it.

Members of the Royal Canadian Legion, branch 192 in Carleton Place, are also excited that one of their own was chosen for the ceremony.

“It’s a great honour for our community and legion to be participating,” said Ann Ecker, president of the Carleton Place legion branch.

Ron Goebel, vice chairman of the Royal Canadian Legion’s Ontario command and a member of the dominion command’s ritual and awards committee, was pleased and proud to be a part of the selection committee that chose George to represent the Second World War veterans for this “historical and symbolic event.”

“It’s quite an honour for him to be selected,” said Goebel. “It’s a very symbolic act. (The Passing of the Torch ceremony) is one of the biggest events in Ottawa for the legion, since we brought back the remains of the unnamed soldier.”

Goebel added that using a Second World War veteran from Carleton Place is also special.

He said the last time a Carleton Place veteran took part in the national Remembrance Day ceremony was in 1965, when the current Canadian flag was raised by Bill Bigras.

The Passing of the Torch ceremony will begin with the only surviving First World War veteran John Babcock, via a media feed that was previously recorded from Babcock’s home in Washington state, holding a torch.

And just like the John McCrae poem In Flanders Fields, the same torch will be marched to the national war memorial by a cadet and then passed to George, who represents the Second World War veterans.

The torch will then be passed to a Korean War veteran, a peace keeping veteran and then finally to a Afghanistan veteran.

Along with the ceremony, George and Peggy have been invited to the Silver Cross Mothers’ luncheon at the Chateau Laurier after the rehearsal on Nov. 10, as well as the lunch and tea with Governor General Michaëlle Jean at Rideau Hall on Nov. 11, following the Remembrance Day ceremony.

“It’s a very special two days for (Peggy and George),” said Goebel.

George said he joined the army when he was 16, having lied about his age, and celebrated his 17th birthday on the boat heading to England. He spent his first year overseas working in the forestry core in Scoltand and then was part of the 17th Duke of York’s Royal Canadian Hussars, Reconnaissance Regiment of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, that landed on Juno Beach, three days after D-Day.

During the Second World War, he drove armoured vehicles in France, Holland, Belgium and Germany.

After the war was over and George returned to Montreal, Que., he continued his military service in the reserve army, where he retired as a major-general.

George has been an active member of the Royal Canadian Legion for more than 60 years, making him the member with the longest service in Carleton Place.

“He’s the oldest member in our branch – that’s something else,” said Ecker.

George said he joined the legion after returning to Montreal. He said, with a smile, that his father, who was a First World War veteran, took him right over to the legion to become a member while he was still in his uniform.

“I’m on of the only ones left,” he said, adding that he enjoys going to the legion to be around people who share a common bond.

“George has always been proud to be a legion member and of his army life,” said Peggy.

 

JUNO BEACH FUND

Along with the Passing of the Torch ceremony taking place on Nov. 11, George helped the Carleton Place Wal-Mart to collect funds toward the Juno Beach Centre in Normandy, France.

Kevin Nokes, manager of the Carleton Place store, said Carleton Place raised $1,300 in donations for the Juno Beach Centre during a Wal-Mart fundraising campaign from Oct. 9 to 25. He said the story will be matching the amount raised, so in total $2,600 will be sent to the Juno Beach Centre, which honours of all Canadian Second World War veterans.

“Through the Juno Beach Centre, the (Second World War) effort made by Canadians, civilians and military alike, both at home and abroad, will be preserved for generations to come,” said Nokes, in a press release.

The funds raised this past October will be used to directly fund two exhibit rooms at the Juno Beach Centre – The Canada Today Room, which showcases the diversity of our country in the new millennium, and a temporary exhibit room, which houses a variety of ever-changing displays.

“Wal-Mart and its customers continue to provide much-needed funding for the Juno Beach Centre, which perpetuates the heroic service of Canadians in (the Second World war),” said Garth Webb, a D-Day veteran and current president of the Juno Beach Centre.

In 2007, Wal-Mart Canada announced a $1 million, five-year campaign in support of Canadian Second World War veterans and the Juno Beach Centre.

Since its inception in 2003, the campaign has raised almost $7 million for the centre since 2003.

The Juno Beach Centre is a museum and education centre that opened at Courseulles-sur-Mer, France, on June 6, 2003.