Cochrane artist Don Begg of Studio West Ltd. had the honour of Princess Anne unveiling a bronze statue he created to mark the 80th Anniversary of D-Day in France on Wednesday.
The statue was commissioned by the Royal Regina Rifles (RRR), one of the first Canadian regiments to make landfall on Juno Beach. The RRR faced some of the stiffest German opposition among the Canadian regiments, and triumphed at great cost.
The statue, created by Begg and entitled "Operation CALVADOS," was unveiled by the Princess Royal to great fanfare.
According to reports, Princess Anne, who is also Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment, hailed the "loyalty, bravery and duty" of the Royal Regina Rifles, who played such a key part in the D-Day battle.
The statue, showing the image of a typical riflemen of the RRR, has been placed in the French town of Brettville l'Orgueilleuse in the Place des Canadians. The town is synonymous with the courage of the RRR, where they resisted heavy German counter-attacks following the June 6 invasion of Normandy.
Begg was accompanied by wife Shirley to France for the unveiling, and is quoted in media reports as stating: "It's a huge honour for us to commemorate in bronze, which will last for a thousand years, what those Canadian soldiers did to liberate France."