Can you help me ? My parents lived in the Netherlands during WW11 and they often told the story about how 2 Canadian soldiers came to thier home one evening. My parents lived in the small village of Tuk which was very close to Steenwijk,in the Netherlands.(Steenwijkerwold). My mom says that I should also mention the name of the largest city in the area as she thinks that might help. The name of the city closest to them was Zwolle.
My father was a woodenshoe maker, the only one in the area and the Canadain soldiers had set up thier tents in a field behind thier home. One evening two young Canadian soldiers came to visit them. They brought with them tea, sugar and soap. Mom remembers that they sat at the table in the kitchen and drank wine with our family. It was a wonderful evening even though my parents could not speak English.That is why she does not know the names of her visitors. One of the soldiers gave my mother his hat pin and my Mother gave him a bracelet of Dutch dimes. The evening pasted quickly and before they knew it , it was too late for the soldiers to go back to the tent(curfew I think ) so they slept in the attic of my parents home. At 7 am Mom and Dad woke up and found that the soldiers had left. At that time my parents had no idea that they would eventually immigrate to Canada. They have now lived here since 1954. My father passed away in 1999 at the age of 87 but my Mother is still living and in very good health. She is now 93 years old. She still has that Regina Rifle Regiment hat pin and we often take it out and look at it.. wondering who was this gentleman who shared a part of our parents lives. Mom thinks it would be so wonderful to learn more this special person.
I am writing this in the hope that someone might remember this event or that someone has heard about this story. Wouldn't it be a wonderful gift for my mom to be able to tell her that we found her Canadian soldier !!! Looking forward to you responses and keeping my fingers crossed.
My father was a woodenshoe maker, the only one in the area and the Canadain soldiers had set up thier tents in a field behind thier home. One evening two young Canadian soldiers came to visit them. They brought with them tea, sugar and soap. Mom remembers that they sat at the table in the kitchen and drank wine with our family. It was a wonderful evening even though my parents could not speak English.That is why she does not know the names of her visitors. One of the soldiers gave my mother his hat pin and my Mother gave him a bracelet of Dutch dimes. The evening pasted quickly and before they knew it , it was too late for the soldiers to go back to the tent(curfew I think ) so they slept in the attic of my parents home. At 7 am Mom and Dad woke up and found that the soldiers had left. At that time my parents had no idea that they would eventually immigrate to Canada. They have now lived here since 1954. My father passed away in 1999 at the age of 87 but my Mother is still living and in very good health. She is now 93 years old. She still has that Regina Rifle Regiment hat pin and we often take it out and look at it.. wondering who was this gentleman who shared a part of our parents lives. Mom thinks it would be so wonderful to learn more this special person.
I am writing this in the hope that someone might remember this event or that someone has heard about this story. Wouldn't it be a wonderful gift for my mom to be able to tell her that we found her Canadian soldier !!! Looking forward to you responses and keeping my fingers crossed.
