‘No one wins a war’: Veteran reflects on D-Day as he receives France’s highest honor

VANCOUVER — A British Columbia D-Day veteran reflected on the 80th anniversary of the operation, saying “nobody wins in a war” after receiving France’s highest decoration at a ceremony in Vancouver.

Joseph Vogelgesang was a 19-year-old infantryman when he landed on Juno Beach in Normandy.

Now 99, Vogelgesang has been made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor to recognize what the French Consulate General in Vancouver calls his contribution and courage to the liberation of France.

Consul General Nicolas Baudouin, who presented the medal, says it shows “deep gratitude” for Vogelgesang’s wartime service, including his contributions on D-Day.

Vogelgesang says he still vividly remembers D-Day when he was among the 14,000 Canadians who landed on the beaches of Normandy.

He says he wants people to understand the cruelty of war and that if they did, there might be less need for the military in the future.

“People who talk about a war who have never been there don’t understand what happens in a war. They just read about it or see about it, but they never realize what really happens,” Vogelgesang said .

“I’d like to see them realize that … maybe we’ll need less of a military, or maybe we’ll make the whole world better by doing this, realizing what war really does. There is no one (who) wins in a war,” he said. Vogelgesang.

Vogelgesang, who now lives in Abbotsford, BC, volunteered in his home province of Saskatchewan at the age of 17 and went to England in early 1944 as part of the Calgary Highlanders.

He recalls the advice he received from his superior on June 6, 1944.

“My sergeant told me if you live for the next 48 hours, you live a long time, and I learned a lot in 48 hours,” Vogelgesang said.

Vogelgesang was “a little overwhelmed” to receive the medal, which he said he shared with soldiers who were in the same boat during the Juno Beach landing.

After the ceremony in St. Julien from Vancouver, Vogelgesang was surrounded by family at the nearby BC Regiment Recruiting Office.

His youngest daughter, Sharon Bunn, said before the ceremony that their family was “overwhelmed with pride and gratitude” when they heard he would receive the French honour.

“We know he went to war at a very young age, and in this day and age, I can’t imagine how a 17- or 18-year-old would go through what he went through,” said Bunn, who flew from Saskatchewan to Vancouver . to join Thursday’s ceremony.

“We’re all very, very proud and grateful for what he’s done and the sacrifices he’s made,” she added.

Bunn said her father was reluctant to share what he went through during the war.

“I think as you can imagine it was difficult. He shared little snippets, but nothing really graphic,” Bunn said.

She said Vogelgesang, who lives in his own apartment in the Fraser Valley city, is aware of current affairs. “It’s really stupid,” she said with a laugh.

Vogelgesang married his wife, Irene, in 1945 and they had three children, nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

The Legion of Honor is France’s highest decoration, and more than a thousand Canadian veterans have received a medal since 2014.

The Consulate General said anyone who knows a living Canadian veteran who took part in operations on French soil can contact the French Embassy in Ottawa as they may be eligible for the medal.

The French Legion of Honor was created by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 to reward citizens for their merits, regardless of their origin.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on June 6, 2024.

Nono Shen, Canadian Press