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Over a million Canadians served in the Second World War. Very few are left from the deadliest conflict in history.
While its living memory has begun to fade 80 years later, veterans young and old are still being honoured on Remembrance Day, both through traditional poppy campaigns and works of art.
Julia Mackey and her husband Dirk Van Stralen, created the play Jake’s Gift in Wells, B.C., an artsy mining town located in the Cariboo region around 120 kilometres southeast of Prince George.
The play is meant to keep the spirit of Second World War veterans alive.
“One of the things that we’ve discovered, unintentionally, is the themes in the play are really about loss and forgiveness and friendship, and those things are universal regardless of how old you are or what generation you come from,” Mackey said.
On tour in its 18th year, the play was inspired by Juno Beach — one of five beaches in Normandy that Canadians gave their lives to take back when Allied forces invaded Nazi-occupied France.
A sunset at Juno Beach when Mackey visited on June 5, 2019. (Submitted by Julia Mackey)
In the play, fictional Second World War veteran Jake returns for D-Day’s 60th anniversary, and to mourn the death of his eldest brother Chester, who served alongside him.
The old soldier also befriends Isabelle, a 10-year-old from the local village in Normandy, curious about Canada and the war.
Connection to youth is central to the play, according to Mackey, as is the audience’s relationship with Jake.
The playwright says every Canadian has their “Jake” – family who have served in the military.
“Jake really represents, could represent, their grandfather.”
LISTEN | Award-winning play tours northern B.C.:
Daybreak North7:46Jake’s Gift
Julia Mackey speaks to Daybreak North about her award-winning play Jake’s Gift, which is now touring northern B.C. and honours Second World War veterans.
Mackey said the character of Jake was brought to life by interviews with veterans in Normandy during the 60th anniversary of D-Day in June 2004.
Much of Jake’s personality was modelled after real-life Second World War artillery veteran Fred Rogers, who toured Canadian schools to share his story.
“The reason we keep touring is to honour the veterans that we met,” Mackey told CBC’s Daybreak North.
“And to honour the present-day veterans too.”
New generations of veterans
The end of the Second World War set the stage for the remainder of the 20th century. War and global conflict has never ended since then.
Darcy Eggleston, from Fort Nelson First Nation, joined the Canadian military in 1979, serving as a paratrooper and military policeman.
His duties took him to Cyprus, Syria, and parts of Europe.
Eggleston’s father, Bill Eggleston, was a Royal Canadian Engineer. The two served briefly together in Nicosia, Cyprus, in 1989 during a peacekeeping operation.
Retired veteran Darcy Eggleston was out in Mill Bay and Shawnigan Lake, B.C., this year to contribute to his local legion’s poppy campaign. (Submitted by Darcy Eggleston)
At 66, Eggleston says young people’s connection to Remembrance Day is through more recent conflict in Afghanistan and service in the Middle East, while older generations are more likely to be connected to the Second World War.
“There are some that are very bitter,” said Eggleston. “And there are some that have blended back into society and you don’t know that they were a veteran unless you specifically asked them.”
After four years in Syria serving in Damascus as a security manager from 1995 to 1999, and nearly 22 years of service overall, Eggleston left the military in 2001 — narrowly missing conflicts that came in the wake of 9/11.
Time apart from family was a sacrifice he was no longer willing to make, having missed the funeral of his paternal grandfather, Lester Eggleston.
An obituary for Lester Edward Eggleston in the 1997 Peace River Block News. He was a veteran of the Second World War who served in the forestry corps. (Submitted by Peace Country Roots Group)
Lester served in the Second World War in the Canadian Forestry Corps, but never spoke much of the war until Darcy was a teenager.
This year, Darcy took part in the Royal Canadian Legion’s poppy campaign.
He said he was inspired by his 84-year old mother Celine Eggleston, both helping the 134 Malahat Branch on Vancouver Island.
“I just appreciate people who donate towards the poppy campaign. It’s very appreciated. All that money does help veterans,” said Darcy.
