Standing on former battle fields was “a very moving experience” for Luigi Santoro and his wife Lisette Bernier.
Santoro, a former high school teacher, said he spent his life wanting to see the places he taught his students about in history classes, the places where Canadian soldiers laid down their lives.
“I’ve always wanted to visit those sites — the ones I read about,” he said.
Prior to departing for a European trip this past May, Santoro and Bernier did quite a bit of research. Knowing they would visit Juno Beach, Vimy Ridge, Ypres and the Somme, Santoro made a point of researching all the local soldiers buried in these regions.
He found out the approximate location of their grave sites, then photographed them. He said he wanted to give the fallen soldiers’ living family members a “memento” of their loved ones.
“The ultimate goal (was) somehow giving the picture to their families, many of whom will never be able to visit their loved ones’ grave site,” Bernier added.
Bernier said she and Santoro were overwhelmed with emotion at many of the grave sites.
“We were very moved by the War Graves Commission’s commitment and efforts to keep these cemeteries in great shape,” she said.
Santoro said the young guides working at the sites also drove home a message for him. Many of the young adults were the same age as soldiers who died in battle, he said.
Santoro explained that in order to work at the site, guides had to fit the age criteria.
“I though that was pretty impressive,” he said.
One of the other highlights of the experience was visiting Beaumont Hamel.
“Beaumont Hamel is probably the best preserved trench system from World War One,” Santoro said. Visiting it was “probably the most moving” part of their trip, he said.
Bernier said she was particularly humbled when speaking to a “Dutch gentleman.”
As soon as the man found out Bernier and Santoro were from Canada, he said “Oh, our liberators.”
“Words can hardly describe how that made us feel,” Bernier said. “Imagine, after all these years, the respect and gratitude the Dutch still have for what our Canadian soldiers did for their country.
“We will never forget,” Bernier added. “We wish all Canadians had the opportunity to make a pilgrimage to these sites.”
Posted by Jenny Jelen
