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Lseen action as an infantry officer in France, Belgi-um and the Netherlands.“My father never talked about it. Never, never,ever, ever talked about it,” his eldest daughter,Diane Teetzel, recalled – although she once sawike many in his generation who fought inthe Second World War, Keith Crummerdidn’t share much with his family after hereturned to Canada in May, 1945, having
him in the basement watching the movie adaptionofThe Longest Daymandy landing. “Tears were rolling down his face. Ijust shut the door and let him be.”Then, a trip 45 years ago to France brought Mr.Crummer back to Criquebeuf-sur-Seine, a Normanvillage his regiment liberated in 1944. The Cana-, the bestseller about the Nor-
dian soldiers had arrived just after the Germansnearly executed 63 local hostages.When Mr. Crummer visited in 1974, he showedup unannounced. However, “word got around thatmy father was there and the mayor at the timecame to him ... and they had a big celebration,”Ms. Teetzel said.
Criquebeuf’s mayor later sent a letter, thankingMr. Crummer. “You and your brave soldiers haveleft an enduring memory and friendship in all ourhearts,” it said.Ms. Teetzel said her father was “flabbergasted,absolutely flabbergasted” by the villagers’ kind-ness.
Although Mr. Crummer has since died, his namestill resonates in Criquebeuf decades later, and adeep friendship now bonds the locals and hisfamily.Tucked against a tributary of the Seine River,Criquebeuf is a small community off the beatenpath in Normandy. Visitors who make the 90-min-
ute drive from Paris enter through a street still

lined by old stone houses, Rue des Canadiens.Then, past the town square, named HostagesPlace, sits a bridge that in August was renamedafter Mr. Crummer.Two weeks ago, friends from Criquebeuf visitedMs. Teetzel in Chatham, Ont. Her family greeted
them at the train station with a French flag. It wasa gesture mirroring the hospitality she receivedwhen she went to Criquebeuf this summer andwitnessed the renaming of the bridge to honourher father’s memory.“We’ve become a big family. ... It’s a beautifulfriendship,” said Marie-Josée Heitz, one of the
three Criquebeuf residents visiting Ms. Teetzel.Mr. Crummer was a 28-year-old employee atChatham’s Union Gas Ltd. when he enlisted as aprivate at the start of the war in 1939. He was com-missioned as an officer and, by 1944, was a majorwith D company of the Lincoln and Welland re-giment. They landed in France at the end of July, as
Canadian and British soldiers still laboured tobreak out of the bridgeheads they established onD-Day, June 6. The regiment struggled in its firstoffensive operations. But within weeks, the bulk ofthe German military in Normandy had been sur-rounded and defeated in the battle of the FalaisePocket and the Allies rushed toward the Seine and
Paris.“Am in a little French house close to the roadwhere our army is tearing by at a great pace,” Mr.Crummer wrote in one letter to his wife, Frances.“We have been going night and day as you willhave heard by now. The enemy is on the run burn-ing his bridges behind him. We are not missing his
convoys, passed through one the other nightwhich stretched for at least 15 miles, every vehiclewas destroyed, words cannot express the destruc-tion.”

within 30 kilometres of the Seine, though muddygrounds and blown-up bridges slowed their ad-vance. In Criquebeuf, meanwhile, the villagerswere in danger.cal resident had wounded one of their soldiers.On Aug. 24, the Lincoln and Welland movedGermans retreating by the village believed a lo-
They rounded up 63 men into a church and pre-pared to execute them. It was no idle threat. Inthree occasions that summer, the Germans mas-sacred hundreds of civilians in retaliation againstthe French Resistance. They hanged 99 men in thetown of Tulle and deported another 149 to concen-tration camps. The following day, they killed 642 at
Oradour-sur-Glane, then destroyed the village. Theday after the Criquebeuf round-up, the Germansslaughtered 124 residents of the township of Maillé.13, remembered that the villagers came to ask hermother, Anne Fleck, to intercede. Ms. Fleck workedas a custodian for a wealthy Paris family that kept aIn Criquebeuf, Simonne Roman, who was then
summer mansion in the village. She spoke Germanbecause she was from Lorraine, a border areaclaimed by Germany. Ms. Roman said her motherarrived as the Germans were setting up machineguns and grenades to execute the hostages. For 45minutes, Ms. Fleck pleaded with the officer incharge. She told him the villagers had never cre-
ated problems before. “Maybe you have children,”she said, reminding the officer that both he andthe villagers had children waiting at home.hostages and move on because the Allies were ap-proaching. Ms. Roman remembered her motherreturning to the mansion. “She was so relieved butEventually, the officer told his men to leave the
very stressed, the poor dear.”arentered the village. The Germans were still shellingthe area. The Canadians fired back with their ownartillery.Two days later, according to the regimental di-y, the first elements of the Lincoln and WellandTaking an abandoned boat, soldiers under Mr.
Crummer’s command used shovels as paddles toreach the other bank of the Seine. “My companywaand stayed over all night,” the major later wrotehome. They held on to their bridgehead on the farbank without reinforcement for 12 hours, despiteshellfire and some street fighting when a convoy ofs the first Canadian troops to cross the Seine
enemy vehicles passed by around midnight, Cana-dian military records say.and Welland faced more bitter fighting, in the ca-nals of Flanders and the ice and mud of the Dutchisland of Kapelsche Veer, in the winter of 1945. Mr.Crummer was wounded, then returned to Chath-In the following weeks and months, the Lincoln
am to be a manager at Union Gas.1974, they visited Georgette Testard, a Parisian cou-sin who had a holiday home in Elbeuf, eight kilo-metres from Criquebeuf. So Mr. Crummer decidedto drop by the village.His wife had French relatives and friends. InMr. Crummer died in 1990. In the summer of
2014, Ms. Teetzel saw there were many events inFrance marking the 70th anniversary of the Nor-mandy campaign. She looked at the letter fromCriquebeuf and wondered if the village had orga-nized anything.tried to get through in her best French. They con-She found the town hall’s phone number and

After75years,aFrenchvillage
liberatedbyCanadiansstillfeels
truepatriotloveACanadiansoldier’sreturntoFrancedecadesafterthewar
forgedafreshbondbetweenhisfamilyandthecommunityhehelpedfreefromNazioccupation–abondstillhonouredtodayW/I22ENBY2U2HANHHA

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“My father never talked about it. Never, never,Lseen action as an infantry officer in France, Belgi-iDever, ever talked about it,” his eldest daughter,um and the Netherlands.anethe SecondreTeidn’t share much with his famildike many in his generation whorntuetzeledtre,called – although she once sawoCanaWdrldoainMayWar,Kith Crummer,e^19 45, havingught inofyafter he
ojmmuCrhen, a triTust shut the door and let him be.im inandy landing. “TearsmThe Longest Dafvillage hishthe baseeackrbreptiment liberated igm 45 owaey,enars agoythe bestseller about thtCriquebeuf-sur-Seine, ahweretcing trolling down his face. Ito”France brought Mr.hne movie a 19 44. The Cana-dNoeaotionNrmanpr-
amemy.sMWhen Mr. Crummer visited inearlcnupunannounced. However, “worddian soldiers had arrived just after the Germanstotzel saidfathereTeyexecuted 63 local hostageswahim ... and they had a big celebration,”there and the mayor at the time.s.^19 got around that^74 ,heshowed
Criquebeuf’s mayor later sent a letter, thankingness.absolutely flabbergasted” by the villagers’ kind-MMeartshleft an enduring memory and friendship in all ourr. Crummer. “You an”itsaides.,Ttzel said here.dyatherfourwabveras“flabbergasted,soldiers haaave
uTlath inpCriquebeuf is a small community off the beatenilstamilfdeep friendship now bonds the locals and hisAlthough Mr. Crummer has since died, his namedre.ckeysonates in CriNoagainst a tributarrmandyq. Visitors who make the 90-min-uebeuyfdecades later, and aof the Seine River,
ute drive fromParis enter through a street still

PafteMs.wThen,TrMr.Crlace, sits a bridge that in AugusTelined by old stone houses,petzel in Chatham, Ont. Her familweoast theeks ago, friends from Criummteown square, named Hostagesr.Ruteqdes Canadienswauebeuf visitesnamedreygreeted.d
agt“We’ve become a big family. ... It’s a beautifulfherwitnessehwhen sheesture mirroring the hospitality sheem at tfriendship,” said Marie-Josée Heitz, one of theather’s memodhe train station witwehetretontnaming oCriquebeuf this summer andy.ra Frencfthe bridgehhfltoag. Itceivedhonourrewas
three Crigiment. They landed in France at the end of July, aswmissioned as an officer and, byrivate at the start opChatham’s Union Gas Ltd. when he enlisted as aMr. Crith D comuebeummpquyanferfththe Lincoln andsidents visiting Ms.s a 28-year-old employee atreowafwaenri39. 194419 Te,waWeHescom-s a majorwallandetzlere.-
oCaDbreak out of the bridgeheads they established onoffensive operations. But withintheGermanminrounded and deckeadP-Dayann, June 6. ThtaiddtheanflAeated in the battle oitary iBrilligiment struggled in its firstisheesrretolushedsNonidomanrrtesstdyill lweeks, the bulk ofward thethedbahabofuFrSeineen sur-toalaisnedeaed
ere our army iri“Aaveha“We haing his bridges behind himwhasrummer wrote in one letterCPaamin a little French hous.heard bveabeeynow. The enemsgonng night and day as you wilaring by at a great pace,” Mr.teieWe.toyclhoseis on the run burn-are not missing hisis wie, Frances.tofthe roadl
cconnswavowhintion.”hs, passed through one the other nighydestrostredychetwoed,foat least 15 miles, everrrds cannot express the destruc-veylchiet

vcalwegwithin 30 kilometres orence. In CriGerounan Aug. 24, the Lincoln anreOsident haddnarmsanin danger.resdblwtreating bown-uquebeuounded one opbf, meanwhile, the villagerthe Seine, though muddrifythe village believed a loges sdlowedWfdelland motheir soldiersteir ahydd-ve-s.
They rounded up 63 men into atsacred hundreds of civilians inpttthe Frencharedhree occasions that summerration camown ofTutos. Thexecute tslle and deeRepistance. Thelorted anothehelowing dam. Ifoptythe Germans mas,wahanged 99 men in thesyno italiation againstre,therchkilled 642 atyuret 149 tochdleatndachroncenre.Inp---

Oas a custms 1 day ar,laughtered 124 (^3) otherIn Crieradour-sur-Glane, then destrofoAnne Fleckqmembered that the villagers cam,ter the Criquebeueudbanueiref,Simonnfosidents of therawe,althyotintercede. Ms. Fleckeround-up, the GermansfRrisPtoyman, whoaoed the village. Theamily thanship owfteMaillé.oask herwofwastketrkedenhpta
clsmcbarrived as the Germansguns and grenadeaimed binutes, Ms. Fleckecause summer mansion in the village. She spoke Germaharge. ShehetoGermanywassd him the villagers had never cre-lefrom Lorrainetoy.leaded with the opMxecute the hostagesRswe.man said her motheosetting ureaborderarea,p.fficer imachineFor4nnr 5
the villagers hadatedreshe said,hostaproaching. MstEventuallurnigges and moproblems before. “Man, the officeytotheminding the officer that both he andre mansion. “SveRoch.manildrennbotecause tywamreld his menoryhewaiting at home.beembered her mothehou haAllissoeesve clretoveleaildrenheved butiwere,”hpater-
arveaetyntered the village. The GermanrkTaTwtrytllei,he area. The Canadians.stresserhefiring an abandoned boat, soldiers under Mryo days later, accordingd,tst eeelhemntsoorpftired back with their ownodheaf.”toeLinrreolnsthewecdimental di-reantill shellingsgWendlla.
Crwshellrehbatheome. Theach the other bank oafnksaund stammiwr’ire and some streetfythoeeheld onoveutommscyirst Canadian troodniall night,” the marreaced used snrtofoighting when a cotheir bridgehead on the farthe Seine. “Mfmenfhtpsofovejcror12hours,desls astoss tor later wroteypcomehnvaddleeinanpiteeypsotSoyof
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amtsin who had a holida (^19) moMr 7 is wi, they visited GeorgettetoHetresdro (^4) rp.Cbrom Crie a manager at Union Gas.ufbfmme had Frencthe village.ydequebeuryedi. So Mr. Crummer decidedhome in Elbeuin 19 hfreTatives andle90. In the summer ostard, arriends. In, eight kilofPafnisiau-oc-f
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