Memories of Juno Beach: Caledonia veteran was there on D-Day

Hugh Campbell stands proudly, medals across his chest, and remembers.

At 99, the Caledonia Second World War veteran — with nearly a century of memories — will always have a special place for the events of June 6, 1944.

22-year-old Patterson and 23 other dispatch riders with the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals, joined a fighting force of nearly 150,000 Allied troops, including 14,000 Canadians, storming the beaches of Normandy in an aggressive attack that changed the course of the war.

Patterson pushed his motorcycle up Juno Beach as fighting raged around him, past death, chaos and destruction.

Dispatch riders used their bikes to relay maps and other information between units and were critical to the success of the operation.

Patterson has returned to northern France on several occasions, most recently in 2019, to attend ceremonies honouring their efforts and remember lives lost.

Although COVID-19 has curtailed in-person D-Day events, Hugh Patterson will take a moment at his retirement home and think about the sacrifices made by so many 71 years ago.