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Broadcast time: 11:30AM |
Date: August/12/2015 |
The Sarnia Police Service will be blocking traffic on Front Street on Tuesday August 18, 2015 between George Street and Derby Lane for the following event.
French students to pay tribute to 1st Hussars and veterans at Calamity Tank in downtown Sarnia.
SARNIA, Aug. 5, 2014/ – A delegation of 45 French students from the Westlake Brothers Souvenir Association (WBSA) based in Caen, Normandy, France will be visiting Sarnia and region on Tuesday, August 18, 2015. Their local visit is a part of a larger 25 day, multi-city Canadian tour to pay tribute to World War II veterans and remember those Canadians who fell in the liberation of France.
Date and Time: Tuesday, August 18, 2015 11:00-12:30 EDT. Service of Remembrance staged by the WBSA followed by media availability. Service will be conducted in both English and French.
Location: Calamity Tank monument, located beside the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 62, 286 Front Street, Sarnia, ON N7T 5S7. Calamity is located parallel to Front Street.
About:
The 45 members of the Westlake Brothers Souvenir Association are youths ages 14-21 who live in the city of Caen, France and surrounding areas. Formed in 2006 by Caen history teacher Christophe Collet, the Westlake Brothers Souvenir Association is an entirely volunteer group of French youth dedicated to the Memory Project of preserving Canada’s historical legacy in the liberation of France in World War II. The group is named after the Westlake brothers of Weston (now Toronto), Ontario who were infamously murdered by the 12 SS Panzer Division following the battle Le Mesnil-Patry on June 11, 1944. The Westlake Brothers Souvenir Association has been recognized with great acclaim in both France and Canada for their efforts. Several of its young members have been awarded the French médaille de la jeunesse, des sports et de l’engagement associatif, the second highest civic award of distinction bestowed by the French Republic. The WBSA visit to southwestern Ontario is part of the group’s larger Canadian tour.
This marks the second time the WBSA has toured Canada, having last visited in 2011. The group will be hosted during their visit by the 1st Hussars Association; that latter of whom counts several D Day and Normandy campaign veterans among its members. The WBSA and 1st Hussars Regiment conduct an annual exchange between its student members and two serving soldiers. This is the WBSA’s first group visit to Sarnia.
For further information:
Media contact, event day contact/media coordinator:
Leith R.A. Coghlin
(226) 448-7575
Constable Les Jones
Media Relations Officer
Tel: 519-344-8861 Ext 5345
Email: ljones@police.sarnia.on.ca