Royal Regina Rifles host ceremony to commemorate 82nd anniversary of D-Day

The Royal Regina Rifles hosted a ceremony at the Cenotaph on Saturday to commemorate the 82nd anniversary of D-Day. (Damian Smith / CTV News)

On the 82nd anniversary of D-Day, the Royal Regina Rifles hosted a commemoration and an act of remembrance for those who fought on June 6, 1944.

“This one battle was the first battle that broke Fortress Europe, we had to make this assault,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Kevin Barry, the commanding officer of the Royal Regina Rifles. “We had to crack the Nazi fortress so that we could gain the entrance to Normandy and break the back of the German army.”

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“From this, we carried on with the entire northwest campaign and eventual liberation of Europe. This was the start of it all.”

At 8:05 a.m. that morning, the Regina Rifle Regiment spearheaded the assault on Juno Beach as part of the 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade.

“The Regina Rifle Regiment, the regiment that the Royal Regina Rifles perpetuates, commemorates this valorous act and this great battle every year. On this time, we always commemorate the exploits of the wartime Regina Rifle Regiment and memorialize our fallen,” Barry said.

Barry says the Royal Regina Rifles have conducted this parade ever since the end of World War II.

“If we don’t remember our fallen, we are a poor people if we do not do that,” he said. “This is the freedom that we have today, and we must always remember the sacrifice and what they gave to perpetuate the freedom that we have.”

As for Saskatchewan residents who served in that invasion of Normandy, Barry highlights Regina Lieutenant Bill Grayson, who was a part of the assault on D-day.

While Canadians were taking fire from heavy machine guns, Grayson’s commander had been wounded in action. Barry said Grayson then assaulted one of the pillboxes, broke into the gun emplacement and captured a total of 35 Germans, with one pistol.

“This is one of only many of the many valorous acts performed by the wartime Regina Rifle Regiment throughout the campaign in Northwest Europe,” said Barry. “This is why we have to remember them, the great citizens of the people of Saskatchewan and the city of Regina.”

According to Barry, an association of French people in Normandy that commemorate the actions of Regina Rifles and memorize the fallen are visiting Saskatchewan from Sept. 2 to 9. Currently, that association is hosting two riflemen.