By COLlive reporter
That is one Honor Roll student.
Monday, November 11, was Canada’s Remembrance Day (corresponding with the America’s Veteran’s Day) and one student came to Chabad’s Westboro Jewish Montessori Preschool in Ottawa covered in medals.
5 year old Ariel Gordon Wilbur was proudly wearing the honors given to his great-grandfather and namesake, Gordon Humphries OBM, a lieutenant commander who joined the Royal Canadian Navy in 1939.
During World War II, Humphries commended HMCS LCI 115 which was one of the first to land on Juno Beach in the D-Day Invasion as part of Operation Overlord.
The ranks he received, worn Monday by his great-grandson were:
1. The 1939-1945 Star
2. The France and Germany Star
3. The Defense Medal
4. The Voluntary Service Medal
5. The 1939-1945 Medal
6. Anniversary D-Day Medal (awarded in June 1994 by the French government)
Humphries, or Poppa as his family lovingly called him, passed away in September 2013. He was married to Margaret and had 4 children, 6 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.
His grandson Matt Wilbur was permitted to keep the medals. Wilbur and his wife Dina Schneider said they gave the medals to their son Ari because they felt it is important to tell others about those who needed to fight in war.
the caytaks preschool is awesome!
Ariel attends the Caytak’s preschool in Ottawa.
He is a most wonderful student!