ESTEVAN - One of the last surviving Second World War veterans in southeast Saskatchewan was honoured on Remembrance Day for his efforts to help liberate France from German forces nearly 80 years ago.
Jim Spenst of Estevan was presented with a rank of knight with the National Order of the Legion of Honour in France. It is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil.
Spenst served as a private with the Canadian Army during the Second World War.
“Please accept our sincere congratulations on this honour. This distinction, the Legion of Honour, is the highest national honour order in France,” wrote Michel Miraillet, who is France’s ambassador to Canada.
Craig Bird with the Estevan branch of the Royal Canadian Legion and the South East Military Museum read Miraillet’s letter.
Miraillet went on to express the “profound gratitude” that France has for Spenst and other Canadian soldiers in freeing the country during the Second World War. France remembers the sacrifice of all of Spenst’s compatriots who came to liberate French soil.
Spenst was presented with an insignia by his son Daryl.
“It attests to your courage and your devotion to the ideals of liberty and peace,” said Miraillet.
The ceremony took place during a luncheon at the Estevan branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, following Estevan’s Remembrance Day service.
In an interview with the Mercury in November 2018, Spenst recalled that he joined the North Battleford Light Infantry reserve unit while still living in his hometown of Meadow Lake. More than two years later, on Nov. 11, 1943, Spenst enlisted for active duty with the service corps, and he went to Red Deer, Alta., for his training.
He was only 17 years of age when he joined the army, and like many in his generation, he lied about his age to serve his country.
Spenst was eventually deployed to France in July 1944, a few weeks after the Normandy invasion off the coast of France. He was involved with the liberation of the Netherlands.
“If we go there, they treat us like kings,” Spenst said at the time.
Bird noted that for Spenst to receive the honour, the local legion branch had to get his service record to confirm Spenst’s time in France.
There were forms that had to be filled out. They went to Veterans Affairs and were forwarded to the Canadian Embassy and the French government. Then it went back to the Canadian government.
Bird noted that the French government likes to have someone from their nation’s consulate attend, but they couldn’t make it due to Remembrance Day.
The process took about six to eight months from when the legion first applied until Spenst received the honour. The award was created several years ago the French government to honour Canadians.
As required by Canadian regulations regarding the decorations of Canadian citizens by foreign states, France contacted the Canadian government to set in motion the process of having the decoration officially approved.
Video courtesy of Craig Bird.
