Guest blog post by Calgary author Romie Christie:
In September 2024, I travelled to Le Touquet in northern France. This is a place I hold dear in my heart. It’s my mother’s hometown, where we vacationed several times when I was young, twice staying in her family home, Rosemary Cottage. Le Touquet is where my parents, Sandy and Dorothy MacPherson, met and where they were laid to rest after almost 60 years of marriage and a good life in Saskatchewan, Canada. Their ashes are buried under a beautiful marble angel in Le Touquet’s cemetery alongside my maternal grandparents.
When I began writing about my parents’ dramatic and romantic World War II story in what became a published book, See You in Le Touquet: A Memoir of War and Destiny, I was not expecting it would lead me to participate in a memorable celebration in France. Using the word “memorable” hardly does justice to what transpired during the days leading up to the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Le Touquet and the very special day itself, September 4th, 2024.
Last December, I sent a handful of copies of my newly published See You in Le Touquet book to Le Touquet – to the mayor, Daniel Fasquelle, to his office at the town hall, and to the historian Alain Holuigue, who’d lent me his support as I researched and wrote my parents story.
Alain and his Le Touquet academic committee were thrilled to see the book. Their chairperson was able to read the book in English and immediately called a meeting with the mayor, suggesting the town host an event to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Le Touquet’s liberation during World War II and, most importantly, that the event should spotlight my parents and their history as told in my new book. And just like that, planning for the event began.
My sister and her husband, Alexandra and Don Young, committed to attending with me, as did a cousin from Vancouver, Sharon Gove. I stayed in close touch with Alain, who told me the town wished to do a reenactment of my parents’ meeting. I’d been there when my mom and dad performed a reenactment at the 40th anniversary celebration and I knew who should do it this time. I quickly responded to Alain, suggesting Alex and Don. I even sent pictures of them so the planners could see they would do a great job. Alex looks a lot like our mother Dorothy and Don, similar in size to our father Sandy, promised to obtain a Canadian WWII uniform for his part in the drama.
We knew before our arrival that on September 4th, 2024 - the day of the 80th anniversary - the reenactment would take place and I would read a segment from my book in English. Then Alain would read a translation. Even so, we all thought it would be a modest occasion. I never imagined how enormous the event itself and our entire week in Le Touquet would be!
On our first day, we met the mayor and his committee at the Hotel de Ville (City Hall) and then visited the cemetery where our parents were laid to rest.
Another day, we returned to Le Touquet's City Hall and reenacted our parents’ wedding photos, complete with a hat we fashioned to look like the one our mom had worn. Mayor Fasquelle handed us copies of their original marriage certificate from 1945. No added touch seemed too much.
Bright and early on September 4th, we were chauffeured in genuine WWII Jeeps to the traffic circle where the Avenue des Canadiens begins. At the town’s 40th anniversary celebration, our mother had unveiled the street sign which honours the nation that liberated them.
For the 80th celebration, over 20 Jeeps with Canadian, American, and French "soldiers" in period military dress paraded the streets. After Mayor Fasquelle delivered a somber message detailing the loss and devastation that occurred in Le Touquet, we were transported - by Jeep again, of course - to another traffic circle about a kilometer away, at the corner where my mother’s childhood home, Rosemary Cottage, still stands. She lived there with her parents throughout the war years. The town had reached out to the present owners of Rosemary Cottage, who allowed their home and garden to play an authentic role in the reenactment of our parents' first meeting.
As the story goes, my mom vowed early in the war that she would kiss the first Allied soldier she saw. She told her plan to the female political prisoners who were in jail with her in 1942. And after five long years of wartime occupation of Le Touquet, the day after German forces fled the town, my mother heard a Jeep on the road... and the rest is history, told in my book.
It was right here where Alex and Don went into action, much to the delight of the several hundred Touquetois who had come to watch.
My parents’ history was marked by a new plaque in the centre of town, at the traffic circle where my mother had jumped up and down, waving her arms to flag down my father’s Jeep on September 4, 1944. It is now named “Rond-Point de la Rencontre.” The meeting place, or place of the encounter. (The town is still searching for the best English translation of ‘rencontre’.)
When I began writing about my parents’ dramatic and romantic World War II story in what became a published book, See You in Le Touquet: A Memoir of War and Destiny, I was not expecting it would lead me to participate in a memorable celebration in France. Using the word “memorable” hardly does justice to what transpired during the days leading up to the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Le Touquet and the very special day itself, September 4th, 2024.
Last December, I sent a handful of copies of my newly published See You in Le Touquet book to Le Touquet – to the mayor, Daniel Fasquelle, to his office at the town hall, and to the historian Alain Holuigue, who’d lent me his support as I researched and wrote my parents story.
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| Author Romie Christie and Le Touquet historian Alain Holuigue in the Le Touquet Musee grounds, Sept 2024 |
Alain and his Le Touquet academic committee were thrilled to see the book. Their chairperson was able to read the book in English and immediately called a meeting with the mayor, suggesting the town host an event to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Le Touquet’s liberation during World War II and, most importantly, that the event should spotlight my parents and their history as told in my new book. And just like that, planning for the event began.
My sister and her husband, Alexandra and Don Young, committed to attending with me, as did a cousin from Vancouver, Sharon Gove. I stayed in close touch with Alain, who told me the town wished to do a reenactment of my parents’ meeting. I’d been there when my mom and dad performed a reenactment at the 40th anniversary celebration and I knew who should do it this time. I quickly responded to Alain, suggesting Alex and Don. I even sent pictures of them so the planners could see they would do a great job. Alex looks a lot like our mother Dorothy and Don, similar in size to our father Sandy, promised to obtain a Canadian WWII uniform for his part in the drama.
Author Romie Christie (left) with her sister Alexandra Young in front of Rosemary Cottage, their mother's home in Le Touquet, France
On our first day, we met the mayor and his committee at the Hotel de Ville (City Hall) and then visited the cemetery where our parents were laid to rest.
Another day, we returned to Le Touquet's City Hall and reenacted our parents’ wedding photos, complete with a hat we fashioned to look like the one our mom had worn. Mayor Fasquelle handed us copies of their original marriage certificate from 1945. No added touch seemed too much.
Alexandra and Don Young reenact the wedding photo of Romie and Alexandra's parents, Le Touquet, France
For the 80th celebration, over 20 Jeeps with Canadian, American, and French "soldiers" in period military dress paraded the streets. After Mayor Fasquelle delivered a somber message detailing the loss and devastation that occurred in Le Touquet, we were transported - by Jeep again, of course - to another traffic circle about a kilometer away, at the corner where my mother’s childhood home, Rosemary Cottage, still stands. She lived there with her parents throughout the war years. The town had reached out to the present owners of Rosemary Cottage, who allowed their home and garden to play an authentic role in the reenactment of our parents' first meeting.
As the story goes, my mom vowed early in the war that she would kiss the first Allied soldier she saw. She told her plan to the female political prisoners who were in jail with her in 1942. And after five long years of wartime occupation of Le Touquet, the day after German forces fled the town, my mother heard a Jeep on the road... and the rest is history, told in my book.
It was right here where Alex and Don went into action, much to the delight of the several hundred Touquetois who had come to watch.
Alexandra and Don Young reenact Romie's parents' first meeting
Alexandra and Don Young reenact the first kiss of Romie's and Alex's parents
Driving through Le Touquet during the 80th anniversary liberation celebration, Sept. 4, 2024
Alex walks Don to Rosemary Cottage, Le Touquet, 2024, just as her mother, Dorothy, walked Sandy to her home in 1944.
Across the street, on the grounds of the town’s museum, a series of large signs were filled with photographs from my book. The front book cover was on the first panel. I was both touched and thrilled.
Panels commemorating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Le Touquet
Romie Christie's book See You in Le Touquet is on the first panel
The panels in Le Touquet commemorate the meeting of Romie's parents, recognized as the town's liberation moment!
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| Alexandra, Romie, and Le Touquet's Mayor Fasquelle unveil the new plaque honouring the historic encounter |
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| Alain Holuigue and Romie Christie address the crowd while Alexandra and Don Young look on, Sept. 4, 2024 |
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| Mayor Fasquelle presents a commemorative coin to Romie and Alexandra |
The French government representative, Isabelle Fradin-Thirode from Arras, said in her presentation, “The couple’s love symbolizes the rebirth and hope that blossomed after the war.” A photo of Alex and Don’s reenactment, shown in local papers the next day, said the hundreds of people in attendance were moved by the opportunity to revisit this part of their past.
The town’s bookstore had ordered 64 books from my publisher in Regina. After the speeches, I sat at the store’s table on the museum grounds to sign books for a long line of locals. I did my best in French! Many of them thanked me for writing the book that tells part of their history that must not be forgotten. In short order, there were no books left.
Romie Christie signs copies of her book See You in Le Touquet in Le Touquet, France
Sept. 4/24
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| Alex and Don ride in the parade of Jeeps, touring through Le Touquet |
I am filled with gratitude for Alain Holuigue, the wonderful historian who played such a vital part in the 80th-anniversary events; to Le Touquet’s mayor Daniel Fasquelle, who, once he gets behind an idea makes sure it is done better than anyone might imagine; to everyone who works for the town, who came up with the plan for the day and made it all happen; to the Faire association who drove their Jeeps and lent such authenticity to the day. And to the hundreds of people who call Le Touquet home, who came to experience and honour my parents and their story. You will always be in my heart!
Author Romie Christie (right) with her sister Alexandra Young and Don Young,
Sept. 4, 2024, Le Touquet, France
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Buy Romie's inspiring book: https://driverworks.ca/
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France’s media coverage of the celebration:
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See the video of the 80th liberation anniversary celebration on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNTXO0aYfZU
See the print story, Mayor Fasquelle's speech, and photos: 4 September - Le Touquet celebrates the 80th anniversary of the meeting between Dorothy Borutti and Sandy MacPherson and celebrates the Liberation - Touquet Info
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Romie - this so incredibly special. I absolutely love how you have captured this whole experience in the blog.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!
DeleteThank you Romie for this comprehensive review of this special celebration that came about because of your research and the writing of your excellent book. An extraordinary accomplishment for you, and a special memorial and celebration for your family and the city of Le Touquet. Sandy and Dorothy live!
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