The Blazers will wear these special Remembrance Day jerseys twice this weekend (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

MILITARY APPRECIATION NIGHT

Blazers honouring Canadian contributions to D-Day with special jerseys this weekend

Nov 8, 2019 | 4:59 PM

sportsKAMLOOPS — June 6, 1944. A day that arguably changed the world forever.

It was D-Day, the largest seaborn invasion in history, halting the Nazis and helping to end World War Two in the Allies’ favour.

As part of the 75th anniversary of D-Day, the Blazers are wearing special commemorative jerseys in both games at home to honour the Canadians’ role in such a pivotal victory.

“They’re awesome jerseys. Obviously, they’re for a great cause and I think we’re really lucky to be in the position we are in, to be playing hockey and remember all those great people, too,” said captain Zane Franklin.

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They will first wear them Saturday against Medicine Hat for the official Military Appreciation Night game. The Blazers will also wear the jerseys on Monday for the Remembrance Day game versus the Kelowna Rockets.

It’s a way to honour the 14,000 canadians involved in the Juno Beach invasion, some who didn’t come home.

“You look at the slideshow before the game. You see those faces and the things they had to go through. It puts everything in perspective. We’re all so lucky. Nothing really compares to what those brave men and women went through.”

Blazers goaltender Dylan Garand added, “What those guys do are super important for our country. I don’t know if it would be something I could do. I think they have a very difficult job, especially leaving their families for their countries. So it’s a huge honour for sure and we’re going to put them to good use.”

Image Credit: CFJC Today

While few current Blazers have military connections in their family, head coach Shaun Clouston does.

“My grandfather volunteered signed up. Him and, I think, three or four brothers. One of them might have been, there’s a story I vaguely remember, might have even been underage and faked his way in,” said Clouston. “But they all left the farm in Saskatchewan to sign up, to join the war.”

Clouston feels it’s important to learn from history, even as we get further removed from the two world wars.

“Those were hard times, those were horrific times. Hopefully we don’t have to go back to that,” he said. “But obviously in that era, there were people willing to fight for an ideology, for their countries, so they could have the type of freedom that we experience today.”