For Leon Gobeil, Remembrance Day isn’t just about honouring the fallen.
It’s also about being thankful for a life many never had.
Gobeil, who was raised on a farm north of Prince Albert near Albertville, joined the Canadian Army during the Second World War.
On Remembrance Day, he was thinking about how fortunate he was to enjoy the benefits his comrades fought for.
“I’m so thankful that Canada is free,” he said. “We can speak, we’re well fed, we’ve got a good home. It’s a terrific country, so we can’t ask for any more, but we’ve got to make sure that we keep looking after it.”
Gobeil joined the Canadian Army in 1943. He was initially stationed in Canada after being injured during boot camp. He was traveling to the west coast in preparation of being deployed to Pacific when the war ended. It was a moment he’ll never forget.
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