(Ottawa) A Canadian veteran died just before he could take part in commemorations of the 80th anniversary of D-Day taking place this week in France.

Bill Cameron was looking forward to this moment.

The Second World War veteran planned to be part of the Canadian delegation traveling to Normandy to mark the anniversary of D-Day on June 6.

Last Friday, his daughters Cheryl Powell and Donna Roy helped him get ready and the three had dinner together.

After months of preparation, including obtaining a medical certificate, everything was ready for a flight Saturday morning from Vancouver.

Sadly, Mr. Cameron fell ill and passed away the night before, at the age of 100.

“We just couldn’t believe it,” Ms. Roy said in an interview. His bag was completely full. We were ready to pick him up. »

Ms Powell said staff at the care home where he lived had planned a special sendoff, knowing how excited he was for the trip. The last few days have been surreal, she said.

“He was there for the 70th [anniversary], he was there for the 75th, and he wanted to go to the 80th so badly, knowing that it was his last time at Juno Beach to honor these other veterans,” Ms. Roy said.

June 6, 1944 marked the start of the bloody Battle of Normandy, which lasted 11 weeks, and the beginning of the liberation of France by the Allies.

Nearly 160,000 soldiers landed on the beaches of Normandy that day, including approximately 14,000 Canadians. Mr. Cameron was a gunner aboard the HMCS Kingston, which helped protect American troops landing on Omaha Beach.

The landings were devastating: 4,414 Allied soldiers were killed on D-Day and more than 5,000 were wounded.

During the Battle of Normandy, 73,000 Allied soldiers were killed and 153,000 wounded. The battle – and particularly the Allied bombing of French villages and towns – killed an estimated 20,000 French civilians.

The exact number of German casualties is not known, but historians estimate that between 4,000 and 9,000 men were killed, wounded, or missing during the D-Day invasion alone. Approximately 22,000 German soldiers were among the many people buried in Normandy.

“He really thought there should be more recognition and education so that we never forget,” Powell argued.

In his later years, Mr. Cameron spent a lot of time reading about the war, and D-Day in particular.

According to his daughters, he was constantly learning new things and knowing how to solve problems. He also enjoyed taking trips in his recreational vehicle.

“We also have an RV. And yes, I know exactly how it works just because I was by Dad’s side,” Ms. Roy said.

In January, the family threw “quite a party” for Mr Cameron’s 100th birthday. Just a few weeks ago, he met his youngest great-granddaughter, named Olivia Billy in his honor.

The family will hold a celebration of his life later this summer.

Cameron’s grandson, Craig Powell, and his wife, Rachel Soares, will attend the Canadian ceremony on Thursday. Her daughters plan to watch from afar in Surrey, British Columbia.

“It will be difficult,” Ms. Powell said. It won’t be easy, but we will definitely do it to honor Dad. »