13 May Saluting the Brave Canadians who Liberated the Netherlands
On the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands, of which brave Canadian soldiers played a key role between the fall of 1944 and the spring of 1945, 22 Canadian Second World War veterans returned to Europe in May 2025 to take part in ceremonies marking the historic events.
Last week, these heroes travelled to the Netherlands with Air Canada, flying from Toronto to Amsterdam on flight AC 808. The group, ranging in age from 96 to 105 years old, are some of the last surviving soldiers of the more than 1.1 million Canadians who served in the Second World War.
Canadian soldiers played a pivotal role in liberating the Netherlands town by town and helped bring an end to the Second World War. Their liberation of the Netherlands created a long-lasting appreciation and friendship between the Dutch people and Canada.
Air Canada has a long tradition of supporting the Canadian military and its veterans, and they were honoured to transport them, their families and other Canadian veterans to the Netherlands to commemorate this pivotal moment in history.
“Thousands of Canadians battled to liberate Europe 80 years ago. The efforts and sacrifices of Canada’s soldiers helped shape our country and has enabled us to enjoy freedom and peace for generations. We live in a country that is safe, strong and free, thanks to those who fought selflessly to achieve peace. We thank them for their service and are eternally grateful to them,” said Michael Rousseau, President and CEO at Air Canada.
As many as 175,000 Canadians took part in the campaign to liberate the Netherlands and more than 7,600 of them lost their lives.
Immediately following the Second World War, the Dutch royal family gifted tulips to Canada as a symbol of gratitude and international friendship, symbols that to this day are a sign of the international friendship between the two nations.
Major-General (retired) Richard Rohmer, who is the Honourary Lieutenant-General of the Canadian Armed Forces, played a key role in the liberation of the Netherlands in May 1945.
“Absolutely it is special to get to go back again. I go back there quite regularly because there are celebrations (all the time) and they like to include the person who did the shooting,” said the 101-year-old Rohmer, served with the Royal Canadian Air Force as a fighter-reconnaissance pilot from 1942-1945.
“I had a direct hand in the destruction of the bridge over the river Maas at Venlo. I directed artillery fire that destroyed the bridges. The end result was that the Germans had no way of getting in or out, and they ultimately surrendered.”
Anne McNamara was also onboard the flight. She and her husband, Matthew Howard McNamara are both veterans of the Second World War. Travelling with them were their two daughters, beaming with pride. ‘It’s very special for us to be able to share this with them,” said one of them.
A woman in the Second World War? “I was part of the entertainment unit! We were putting on a variety show for the soldiers, travelling wherever they went and performing almost every night! We would be lucky if we performed twice in the same place actually,’’ said Anne, surrounded by her husband of 77 years, whom she met after the war.
Flying Officer (Ret’d) Howard McNamara, who turned 105 years old earlier this year, participated in a few of these memorial events over the years. “It’s always very special for us to go back. It will be a packed trip, but we are looking forward to it,” he said right before boarding.
Air Canada are a long standing member of the NCCC. 
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