Vancouver man visits Dunkirk to honour grandfather he never met

Thomas Michael McDonald, who himself never met his grandfather, had a love of Canada instilled in him by his father, just as his own father instilled it in him.

Shane McDonald, father of Thomas, says his father described Canada as a “wondrous mystical far off place” by his father before he fought in the war, moving to Canada to raise his young family in a new, booming young country.

With that in mind, the McDonald’s made the journey to the beaches of Dunkirk to pay tribute to where the patriarch made his sacrifice.

“I can’t imagine the hell it must have been,” said Shane McDonald to CBC’s Early Edition.

McDonald says it was overwhelmingly emotional to be on the beaches where his grandfather waited in the sand for a rescue that never came.

Shane was also able to locate his grandfather’s name on the memorial nearby, and attended the Remembrance Day ceremonies in Dunkirk.

Shane was also noticed by French locals at the ceremony, having conversations with others in attendance.

“I don’t know whose English or French was worse … but the actual meaning behind the conversation was one hundred percent understood,” said Shane McDonald.

“Part of his posthumous legacy, I truly believe, is I am a Canadian citizen,” said Shane. “He gave me one of the greatest gifts any parent or grandparent can give.”