Jan de Vries

Jan de Vries, (24 January 1924 – 27 May 2012) was a Dutch-born Canadian World War II paratrooper and veteran's advocate. From June 1944 to June 1945 he was active with the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion. He served with them from the Normandy Invasion until the unit made it all the way to the German Baltic coast by the end of the war. His work as a board member of the Juno Beach Centre contributed to its creation and was at Normandy in June 2005 for its official opening. He also worked hard at successfully fundraising to prevent Canadian Army medals being sold to foreign buyers, including the rare Victoria Cross. For his advocacy and public speaking, he was made a member of the Order of Canada in 2007. He died in Ajax, Ontario in May 2012.

Early life Jan de Vries was born on 24 January 1924 in Leeuwarden, Friesland, Netherlands. He immigrated to Canada with his father Romke and mother Rinske de Vries in 1930. He attended school at both East York Collegiate Institute and Scarborough Collegiate Institute.

Military service He enlisted in the army in 1943. De Vries served with the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, parachuting into Normandy on D-Day and later parachuting across the Rhine River into Germany on March 24, 1945. He was wounded in action by a German sniper in July 1944, however had returned to combat by September 1944.

When he came home, he worked in the construction trades, and moved up into managing sites for Cadillac Fairview and the Daniels Group Inc.

Also, in 2004, de Vries was Honorary Chairman of the Corporal Frederick Topham Victoria Cross fundraising project. Because of this fundraiser, all of Topham's medals are displayed at the Canadian War Museum, including his Victoria Cross. He was a Patron of the Victoria Cross Trust.

He served as a President of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion Association for twelve years. Under his leadership, the Association installed memorial plaques in Europe to commemorate their fallen comrades.

Honours In June 2004, de Vries was named a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honour by President Jacques Chirac. For his advocacy, public speaking, and educational endeavours to keep the history of Second World War troops alive, he was invested into the Order of Canada as a member on 4 May 2007. In 2010 he was selected as an Olympic torchbearer as part of the 2010 Olympic Games.

Personal life He was married to Joanne de Vries (née Nicoll), and was the father of six children.