We are writing to you today because, despite these difficult and unprecedented times, a very important commemorative milestone is upon us. This year marks the 75th anniversaries of the Battle of the Atlantic, the Liberation of the Netherlands and Victory in Europe (V-E Day). Canadians – whether serving in the Royal Canadian Navy, the Royal Canadian Air Force, or the Canadian Army, overseas or on the home front – all contributed to the long-awaited liberation of Europe.

From September 1939 to May 1945, the Canadian Merchant Navy transported vital supplies and troops across the Atlantic Ocean, helping fuel the eventual Allied victory in Europe. Tens of thousands of brave Canadians took part in the Battle of the Atlantic, serving on merchant vessels and naval warships, as well as in the air force planes that helped protect the Allied convoys. More than 4,600 of them would lose their lives. Battle of the Atlantic Sunday is being marked on May 3 this year and is an opportunity to remember all those who served in this bitter struggle at sea.

The Liberation of the Netherlands, from the fall of 1944 to the spring of 1945, is one of our country’s best known efforts during the Second World War, and saw close to 175,000 Canadians take part. Our soldiers steadily pushed back the enemy on the battlefield and also undertook humanitarian relief efforts like air-dropping desperately needed food for the starving Dutch civilians. On 5 May 1945, Canadian troops accepted the surrender of the remaining German forces in the Netherlands. Two days later, all German forces surrendered across Europe. The next day, 8 May 1945, was officially declared V-E Day.

Although in-person ceremonies and events commemorating these special anniversaries have been postponed, we are providing Canadians with a virtual opportunity to safely commemorate and remember those who have sacrificed for our freedom. We are actively telling our Veterans’ stories, promoting learning activities and encouraging participation on our social media channels (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) using interactive tools such as videos, imagery, and podcasts.

We are also encouraging audiences (parents, grandparents, caregivers, children, youth) to take advantage of our online learning materials to learn more about the importance of remembrance. The Veterans Affairs website includes Faces of Freedom stories, options for virtual postcards, historical information, learning materials, visuals, our commemorative poster and more. You can also join us in taking part in a long lasting Dutch tradition to honour those who served and sacrificed. The National Day of Remembrance in the Netherlands takes place annually on May 4 and includes two minutes of silence. In these unprecedented times, let’s be #SilentToRemember and show our Veterans that we will recognize them from our homes – in Canada and in the Netherlands.

Many of our partners are also commemorating this milestone with interactive and digital initiatives. Visit our webpage for a list of partners and to learn more about their initiatives.

In the shared spirit of promoting educational and learning opportunities, we hope that you will take a moment to share our content on your channels and within your networks. We believe a big part in making these anniversaries a success will be our partners, like you, who are willing to share and highlight these initiatives within their communities.

As always, we encourage you to join the conversation on social media using the hashtags #CanadaRemembers, #Netherlands75 and #VEDay75.
Together, we can ensure that those who served are properly honored despite these difficult and unprecedented times.

Lest we forget.

Sincerely,
Paul Thomson
Director General, Commemoration
Veterans Affairs Canada

Faith McIntyre
Director General, Communications
Veterans Affairs Canada