Nearly one in 10 of the soldiers who stormed Normandy's beaches during Operation Overlord was a Canadian. Their target was Juno beach, an eight-kilometre stretch of sand near the towns of Courseulles-sur-Mer, Bernieres, and St Aubin.
A veteran of the D-Day landings and of the Battle of Normandy. On June 6, 1944, Garth Webb, was one of 130000 Allied troops who hit the Normandy beaches in the D-Day invasion. 66 years later, on June 6, 2010, I met him while he returned again to the scene of that momentous battle. He's now 91 years old, living in a comfortable suburb outside Toronto and is the president of the Juno Beach Centre. But on 6 June, 1944, Mr Webb was Lieutenant Webb, 25 years old and in charge of a team of gunners with the 14th Field Regiment of the Royal Canadian Artillery. "I was in charge of a group of guns, artillery guns, and we landed 90 minutes after the first guys," Garth said.
Garth Webb is the driving force behind the creation of the Juno Beach Centre, an interactive education museum located on the Normandy coast of France.
Garth Webb is also a holder of the Meritorious Service Cross. The Centre, which officially opened on June 6, 2003, is a legacy of Webb's dedication and commitment. It preserves the memory of the accomplishments and sacrifices of Canadian soldiers, sailors and airmen on a critical day in the history of the world, and honors Canada's contribution to the Allied victory in World War II.
