Russell Kaye was a gunner with Canada’s 12th Field Regiment during the Second World War. He was one of 133,000 Allied troops that stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day.
WATCH: A Moncton veteran celebrated a very special birthday on Friday – he turned 100 years old. Russell Kaye is one of the few Canadians who took part in D-Day and is still around to share his experience. Global’s Mike Armstrong got to celebrate with him – Feb 9, 2024Russell Kaye, who will be 100 years old on Friday, says his first suggestion is to stay busy and avoid moping.The other part of the equation, the resident of Riverview, N.B., acknowledges, is that he has had an abundance of luck.
“I think the training saved a lot of lives,” Kaye says. “You didn’t stop and think ‘what do I do now?’ We knew what to do next – keep going.”One of the most vivid memories for Kaye wasn’t from the war – but after it. Returning home to New Brunswick, Kaye walked from the train station to the family farmhouse in the village of River Glade, west of Moncton. His brothers were outside waiting for him.“They went wild when they saw me,” he says. “I remember that day as if it was yesterday.
“I think it was better for him,” Christopher Kaye says. “Maybe you just don’t want it to appear that you’re vulnerable.”After returning from the war, Kaye stayed in the military. He served 26 years, and then joined Corrections Canada for two decades. But his son rarely talked about his past. Christopher says his father didn’t even attend Remembrance Day ceremonies.
After decades burying his memories, Kaye started digging them up seven years ago. He was invited to be an ambassador for Wounded Warriors, a nonprofit that helps Canadian veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. It was at the urging of his kids that he agreed.
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