[ninty]

[quote:b8aef]Yesterday's gathering to remember the young Canadian soldiers who lost their lives on the shores of France 60 years ago had special meaning.

Veteran officials announced that the South Shore service to commemorate the Aug. 19, 1942, raid on Dieppe would be the last of its kind.

There are simply not enough veterans left. Many of those still here are ill. "It's our last formal remembrance," said Guy Moenville, a member of Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal regiment for the past 31 years. "From now on, it will just be a little gathering to place wreaths, but not a big occasion like this."

About 200 veterans, officials and dignitaries attended the ceremony at the Dieppe monument in Place Charles Lemoyne, adjacent to the Longueuil métro, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the controversial raid.

A bugler played the Last Post and veterans laden with medals stood at a full military salute.

The raid at Dieppe involved 5,000 Canadian soldiers, of which 3,500 suffered casualties. About 1,900 were taken prisoner and 913 died in the nine-hour battle.

Only 15 Dieppe veterans attended the ceremony yesterday. All of them are in their 80s.

"We have so few veterans left, they are elderly, they are sick ... it's difficult," Moenville said.

Paramedics had to be called in, mid-ceremony, to care for one of the veterans who had taken ill due to the heat.

"I've been coming to this ceremony for eight years," said Arthur Fraser, a former prisoner of war at Dieppe.

"But this year is the last because of my age, and the state of my health. The ceremony was very moving, this whole year has been moving."

The ceremony included dignitaries such as the former mayor of Longueuil and World War II veteran, Marcel Robidas, who was responsible for erecting the monument in Place Charles Lemoyne. Also in attendance was a group of 42 vintage Allied vehicle collectors from Europe, who came to thank the Canadian veterans directly for their contribution to the war effort.

The group was mostly Belgian, but also included people from Switzerland, France and Luxembourg. They dressed in World War II vintage Canadian uniforms, and drove their 19 vehicles around the block for the veterans to see.

"We came (with the vehicles) to thank the Canadian veterans for what they did in the war in Europe," said Alain Cuendet, who flew to Montreal from Switzerland for the occasion with his wife and two young sons, Johann, 10, and Florian, 8.

One vehicle's radio played old war-time tunes, while veterans looked on quietly
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Its too bad that all the ceremonies have to stop because the Vets are becoming fewer and fewer.