HQ DISPATCH #11 - AUGUST, 2022 |
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THE ELEPHANT IN THE CLOSET
(yes … COVID)
When you bring an umbrella, it doesn’t rain.
Let’s hope the same is true for COVID. Make sure you have good insurance coverage, be familiar with the fine print—and just in case—have a contingency plan.
There are currently no COVID tests required to fly to the Netherlands though you must have had your first and second vaccinations before the end of December 2021 PLUS at least one booster (any date). Be sure to upload your vaccination certificate with the QR code from the government website because you will also need to upload it to the airline and the ArriveCan app.
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CBC RADIO DOCUMENTARY CBC is conducting preliminary interviews with some participants for a potential radio documentary about IOFF. They’re looking for interesting stories, like that of Maureen Liviniuk of Edmonton, AB. One of her father’s duties after Amsterdam’s liberation was to go from house to house and clear the area. One of the buildings he cleared was a Press Office where photos were strewn around. He picked up a bundle and brought them home. Maureen asked us about some information on the back of one photo and has discovered some very interesting answers! Do you have an interesting story to share? Or a puzzle to solve? Maybe a photo with a Dutch name or address you’ve always wondered about? Now is the time to solve that mystery! |
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KEN'S GOOGLE MAP QUIZ! Last month, we told you about IOFF participant Ken Kennedy’s awesome IOFF Google Map. Not only does Ken’s map provide a great overview of our itinerary, it offers some great education! Be sure to explore the map and solve Ken’s first IOFF quiz. Q1: Day 3 is spent mostly in Germany exploring the Canadian Army's participation in the Rhineland Offensive. What are the names of the two operations they took part in? Q2: What is the connection between General Crerar and Groesbeek Cemetary? Q3: On our first day in the Netherlands, we will take part in the "Sunset March" across a bridge with a large number of paired lights. How many, and what do they signify? Answers can be found at the bottom of the HQ Dispatch! |
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“FREE DAY!” – MONDAY SEPTEMBER 12TH, 2022 Some of you may want to see more of the Netherlands so we’ll soon be surveying your interest in joining one of three tours that will leave from our hotel. Once we know the interest level, we’ll provide tour details, how to join, and the cost. |
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| | VISIT WORLD FAMOUS AMSTERDAM Spend a day in this world-famous city. Take a canal tour. Visit one of the many popular museums, such as Anne Frank House, Rijksmuseum or Van Gogh Museum. Keep in mind that Amsterdam’s shops and tourist attractions will be crowded and busy. |
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| | DUTCH OPEN-AIR MUSEUM
Go to Arnhem to see two centuries of original Dutch buildings and craftmanship displays from all regions of the Netherlands at the Dutch Open Air Museum, a very popular touristic choice. |
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| | LOCHEM AND ZUTPHEN
Visit the nearby town of Lochem and its Canadian Liberation Museum. Enjoy lunch at Mondani which is also the headquarters of the Royal Canadian Legion in the Netherlands (Branch 005). Spend the afternoon in Zutphen, a beautiful 1700-year-old medieval town on the IJssel River that was liberated by Canadian troops. A lovely historic canal tour can be arranged. |
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Alternatively, you may choose to: |
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MEET DUTCH FAMILIES/FRIENDS
Plan a self-arranged meet-up with your Dutch friends/families. Travel by public transit (we’ll help you figure out how) or have them meet you at our hotel (Landgoed Ehzerwold). |
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ENJOY LANDGOED EHZERWOLD Enjoy the beautiful area surrounding Hotel Ehzerwold, an area rich in Second World War history. Bikes will be available. |
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THE CANADIAN REMEMBRANCE TORCH Check out the latest renderings of The Canadian Remembrance Torch! The students’ design highlights the everlasting bond between Canada and the Netherlands and the Torch ceremony they’re creating will reflect the “passing of the Torch to the next generation.” Read about these amazing McMaster University students who will be participating in IOFF: |
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Anna Maria Esposito (Mechanical Engineering, 5th year) Anna was born in Delft, Netherlands and moved to Calgary when she was seven. Her mother is Dutch, her father is Italian. Both of her grandparents lived through the occupation, in the Netherlands and Italy. Most of her mother’s family still live in the Netherlands. “I hope that by participating in IOFF, I can continue to learn about my own background, and the backgrounds of two countries that have shaped me. I hope to acknowledge the generations that have come before me - their pain, their sacrifices, their growth, and their joys. Finally, I hope to share through my engineering work, what our mutual history and the bond between our nations looks like through my eyes, and that the beauty I see resonates with people.” |
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Sebastian Tattersall (Mechanical Engineering, 4th year Coop) Sebastian was born in Canada. His father’s parents lived in England during the War. His grandfather was in the Royal Navy; his grandmother remembers living under rations and the constant threat of air raids. His mother’s father was a young boy in Italy at the time He remembers the Canadian POWs that were captured during the country’s liberation and the chocolate and rations they gave him to take home to his family. “As part of IOFF, I hope to continue to learn about the history of the SWW through a Canadian lense, while taking in the culture of the Netherlands. In Canada, we are so far removed from the reality of the SWW because no battles were ever fought here but being able to walk the path of the Canadian forces will really bring that to life for me. I hope to gain lifelong memories on this incredible journey and bring back to Canada what I’ve learned there.” |
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Yuvraj Sandhu (Computer Engineering and Management, 3rd year) Yuvraj is Indian. He was born in New York but grew up in Brampton. He has relatives in the Netherlands who are very familiar with the history of the Second World War. Yuvraj created the Torch renderings included in this issue of HQ. “In participating in IOFF, I hope that I can gain insight into the history behind the SWW and understand the way it has strongly impacted us today.” |
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Answers to Ken's Google Map Quiz
Q1: Veritable & Blockbuster.
Q2: General Crerar ordered that no Canadian dead should remain buried in Germany.
Many of the graves in Groesbeek Cemetery are those of Canadians who were killed in Germany,
mostly in the Rhineland Offensive. Q3: 48. The lights signify the 48 Allied soldiers lost crossing the Waal during Operation Market Garden. |
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