The Juno Beach Centre is Canada’s Second World War museum and cultural centre located in Normandy, France. The Centre pays homage to the 45,000 Canadians who lost their lives during the War, of which 5,500 were killed during the Battle of Normandy and 381 on D-Day. Opened in 2003 by veterans and volunteers with a vision to create a permanent memorial to all Canadians who served during the Second World War, the Centre’s mandate is to preserve this legacy for future generations through education and remembrance.
“I joined the Canadian Army at a young age, in 1933, following a family interest in military rifle shooting, starting with my maternal grandfather and carried on by my father. I wish to go back to Normandy to remember in due solemnity those comrades who, in the search for world peace, offered their lives and paid the supreme sacrifice.”
Frank Battershill, in 2007, as he was portrayed in the exhibition “Veterans Voices” at the Juno Beach Centre.