This was by far one of my favorite and yet difficult posts to share with you all. It has prompted a few others posts that I will be working on in the next while to honor those who have fought for everything we are very blessed to have in our country today.
As a military veteran, and someone with a passion for many things military, I loved learning some great details that I really wasn’t very educated on up until this point.
Let me share a bit of background for the info and the gentleman I will share with you here. I am very fortunate, honored and proud of a peer support group that I help facilitate on PEI. Brave&Broken is the name of the group, here is the link to the website, if you would like to see more!
This group has really evolved into a family. A family of veterans who all have at least one thing in common, we will understand that family is not just those related by blood.
My Brave&Broken family has given me so much strength, support and love in the past 2 years it is just incredible. They are a great part of how I keep going and pushing through even the toughest of times. We meet on a weekly basis, this past week one of our members brought in some memory boards displaying a few local veterans who were part of the D-Day history.
I read each board with such amazement for a multitude of reasons, the pictures from the 1944 era were so touching and really showed a side of history that many don’t see or don’t care to think about.
I would like to share with you one particular gentleman, who is still very much alive and kicking today. Ira Enman is one of the few remaining WWII survivors. I am very honored to call him my friend and family.
Before I share a few points on D-Day and a couple of photos of Mr.Enman, let me share a bit of his story. At the young of 97, he still lives independently on his own in his home in PEI. He celebrated his 97th birthday this year! He is active every day and loves his walks along the boardwalk or spending time socializing at the indoor walking track or casino. He is more active then many folks half his age and will always have a smile to share with anyone he meets.
Ira, shown here, bottom left with glasses, and some of our Brave&Broken family celebrating a dinner together, just after his 97th birthday!
He was born in Harmony PEI in 1922. He was unemployed when WWII broke out and joined the Canadian Service Corp in New Brunswick. He was employed as a dispatch driver of trucks and motorcycles. In 1941 he was deployed to England , where he endured the London Blitz. He was a member of the No.63 Army Transport Company, where his duties included delivering supplies and messages to front line troops, convoy escort and prisoner transportation. He remained in Britain until landing in Normandy on July 7 1944. He returned to Canada in 1945 after fighting his way through continental Europe.
Upon returning from the war Ira spent years in Boston working at Thermo Electron.
He retired back to PEI in 1990 and resides in the same home he purchased in 1990! Ira was first married to Ellen, who was a war bride from England. After she passed away, Ira found a second love by the name of Dorothy, who was an island girl, who has also passed away.
Ira received the following medals and decorations from his service, 1939-45 Star, France-Germany Star, Defence Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal.
Canadian Volunteer Service Medal 
France-Germany Star 
1939-45 Star
Here are few points about that infamous day back in Normandy.
- D-Day and the Battle of Normandy has become one of the best-known parts of WW2
- Largest Seaborne invasion in History
- The beaches of Normandy in France would serve as the landing spot.
- Operation Overload was the name given to the planning and prepping for the D Day attack. ( this Op began more than one year in advance)
- Omaha and Utah ( for the Americans) Gold and Sword (for British), and Juno ( for Canadians) were the code names given to the landing locations.
- In the early morning hours, much before dawn, 450 members of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion jumped inland. They were the first of our soldiers to engage the enemy.
- In preparation for this Canada used Debert Nova Scotia, to build a mock village called Ortona Town to train the troops before sending them to Europe via boat.
- 14,000 Canadian soldiers from the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division and the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade landed at Juno Beach.
- The Canadians along with the British made it further inland than any of the other invasion forces.
Approx 360 Canadian soldiers were killed on D Day.
In total, more than 5,000 Canadians died during the two-and-a-half-months of fighting in Normandy.
To read in-depth about D Day here are a few links.
Pte Ira Enman
Ira Enman was born in Northam PEI. Joined Royal Canadian Service Corp in NB.
Ira’s War Diary
I truly hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed putting this one together! Please take the time to share these kind of stories with our younger generations. This is a part of our history that really needs to be shared and remembered. Thank a veteran, or currently serving member whenever you can, please. ! xo
Until next time my friends, be kind to yourself and look out for others! xox