Richard Rohmer is not sentimental when he says, matter-of-factly, that this may be his last D-Day anniversary trip to France.

At 100 years old, the Second World War veteran says this 80th anniversary is his last decennial commemoration, and perhaps the last time he makes the trip to France at all.

含羞草研究社淭his is the last one. This is the 80th anniversary and there won含羞草研究社檛 be any others to follow because we含羞草研究社檙e running out of people,含羞草研究社� he said of the anniversaries marked every 10 years.

含羞草研究社淏ut the opportunity to be there for the 80th is an important one to me because I was there for the beginning.含羞草研究社�

Rohmer is part of a dwindling camp of Canadian veterans who fought in a battle that altered the course of the war, and the course of the 20th century.

On Normandy含羞草研究社檚 shores, the largest-ever land, sea and air invasion took German defences by surprise on June 6, 1944 and marked the beginning of an 11-month liberation campaign that would end with Allied victory and Adolf Hitler含羞草研究社檚 defeat.As a then-20-year-old reconnaissance-fighter pilot, who joined the war effort in 1942, Rohmer surveilled the skies overhead during the battle.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 hard for anybody who含羞草研究社檚 alive now to understand how deep that change could have been if we had failed,含羞草研究社� Rohmer said. 含羞草研究社淭he people who were the enemy were very hard at work and trying to conquer the rest of the world. We made sure they didn含羞草研究社檛.含羞草研究社�

What含羞草研究社檚 true for Rohmer, about this being his last decennial, is likely true for many veterans who fought and survived the fateful battle. It invariably raises the question of how to ensure their memories and lessons are preserved.

In an interview from his care home at Toronto含羞草研究社檚 Sunnybrook Veterans Centre ahead of the D-Day anniversary, Rohmer spoke about the legacy of the war, returning to Normandy and the importance of remembrance.

A prolific author and distinguished lawyer, Rohmer remains a student of world events, and tied his reflections on the war to his fears about authoritarian strongmen around the world, the importance of preserving democracy, and to the suffering in Gaza.

含羞草研究社淚 know I will live forever in a sense. And I know I will not live forever in a sense,含羞草研究社� said Rohmer ahead of his departure with Canada含羞草研究社檚 delegation to France to mark the occasion.

Nearly 150,000 Allied troops stormed the French beaches on D-Day, including 14,000 Canadians. About 359 Canadians were killed that day and another 5,000 died in the ensuing months of battle.

Veterans Affairs Canada estimates that about 9,297 veterans of the Second World War and Korean War were still alive as of March 2023. The tally does not differentiate between the two wars.

At 100 years old, Rohmer would not be faulted for opting out of the transatlantic trip with Canada含羞草研究社檚 delegation. Yet, he said his life has been marked by seizing opportunities as they come.

含羞草研究社淚f there含羞草研究社檚 an opportunity to let people know that (those) events changed the world 80 years ago, then it含羞草研究社檚 well worthwhile,含羞草研究社� said Rohmer, who served as chair of Canada含羞草研究社檚 advisory committee on the planning of the 60th anniversary and served as an adviser to the 70th.

含羞草研究社淭he only thing to expect is change and to make sure that the best you can, that you can influence the course of events, which is one of the things that I含羞草研究社檝e always tried to do in my life.含羞草研究社�

And influential Rohmer has been.

Among his list of accomplishments, he chaired a provincial royal commission on publishing in the 1970s and as a lawyer played a pivotal role in the development plans for the Ontario Science Centre, as well as the CN Tower and the surrounding area.

One of the most decorated citizens in Canada, Rohmer含羞草研究社檚 shirt is weighed down during the interview by more than a dozen awards pinned above his breast pocket, including the Order of Canada and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

For him, a legacy of D-Day is the successful fight for inclusive democracy against those who wanted to take it away, he said, and for a Canada where people around the globe can come to make a home.

含羞草研究社淭he reality is the atmosphere for the reception of people all over the world is still here, it含羞草研究社檚 very strong. And if the Germans had succeeded back in wartime, we wouldn含羞草研究社檛 have had this type of growth,含羞草研究社� he said, after making reference to the roughly 400,000 annual newcomers expected to arrive in Canada.

Yet, he said the 含羞草研究社渧ery real含羞草研究社� possibility of another world war remains. It含羞草研究社檚 been that way for 含羞草研究社渁ll the months and years and days含羞草研究社� since the end of the last one, he added.

含羞草研究社淧eople are still prepared to go to war. And that hasn含羞草研究社檛 changed and is one of the greatest threats to world peace.含羞草研究社�

D-Day is, in part, remembered as a prodigious feat of international military co-operation. Rohmer said that underlying co-operation between like-minded nations remains the 含羞草研究社渆ssential element of keeping our world peace,含羞草研究社� praising the 含羞草研究社渧arious bodies含羞草研究社� that help administer it.

含羞草研究社淭he opportunity to talk nation to nation is essential and has to be maintained. And whether it is maintained 含羞草研究社� I think we含羞草研究社檙e going to find out in a fairly short period of time the way things are moving at the moment,含羞草研究社� he said.

He lamented the rise of authoritarian strongmen in 含羞草研究社渉uge territorial countries含羞草研究社� with 含羞草研究社渉uge populations含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社渉uge trade objectives.含羞草研究社� As a still-serving member of the Forces, he was careful not to name names.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 a frightening mix when it含羞草研究社檚 not led by a group of people and instead it含羞草研究社檚 just one. And we are watching very carefully to see what that one is going to do in several countries at the same time.含羞草研究社�

When asked to reflect on the immense suffering and loss of life experienced during the Second World War, he interrupted to say that suffering continues.

含羞草研究社淎nd it含羞草研究社檚 experiencing right now in Gaza 含羞草研究社� just unbelievable stuff going on,含羞草研究社� he said.

Humanity will not change 含羞草研究社渏ust because we tell it to,含羞草研究社� he said. But what we can do, he said, is hope.

He said he felt that hope even in the depths of the war and in the near-death encounters he had over the 135 missions he flew during the global conflict.

含羞草研究社淗ope for the best. Hope for the best. Hope for the best. Hope for the best,含羞草研究社� he said, almost like a prayer or an invocation, as he leaned on his walker, put on his military cap and made his way out of the room.

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