It took 74 years, but John Andrew 害羞草研究所淒utch害羞草研究所� McLellan finally received his World War II medals.

McLellan was awarded his hardware at a ceremony Oct. 23 at the Royal Canadian Legion in Cloverdale.

害羞草研究所淒ad was feeling really great that night,害羞草研究所� said Don McLellan, John害羞草研究所檚 son.

Don said his dad appreciated that so many family members and others showed up to witness a ceremony 74 years in the making.

害羞草研究所淗e was pretty proud to receive the medals and he has them on his coffee table,害羞草研究所� said Don. 害羞草研究所淪omeone asked him after the ceremony what he thought about all this and he said, 害羞草研究所業 wonder why it all happened.害羞草研究所� They asked, 害羞草研究所榙o you mean the ceremony?害羞草研究所� He answered 害羞草研究所榥o, why the war had to happen?害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

Don was also glad to see so many people there, both family and others. 害羞草研究所淎 lot of times the veterans get forgotten.害羞草研究所�

But it was no clerical error that prevented John from receiving his medals, he just never applied for them.

害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 just that type of person,害羞草研究所� Don said. 害羞草研究所淗e said to me when I asked him, 害羞草研究所業 never applied for them because I was just doing my job.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

John may not have received his medals at all had the family not inquired to see if John was eligible for a veteran害羞草研究所檚 pension.

Don said his dad was in the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery. 害羞草研究所淗e suffered some hearing loss because of his (service), so we thought he would definitely qualify for a veteran害羞草研究所檚 pension.害羞草研究所�

As they inquired about the pension, they contacted the Cloverdale Legion. That害羞草研究所檚 when Earl Fraser, the Legion害羞草研究所檚 service officer, paid John a visit.

害羞草研究所淚 went to his house to visit him and see if we could get him a disability pension from Veterans Affairs Canada.害羞草研究所�

Fraser asked John where his war medals were.

害羞草研究所淎we, I never got them,害羞草研究所� John said. 害羞草研究所淏ut it doesn害羞草研究所檛 matter.害羞草研究所�

Fraser then told John he should apply for them, even if it was just something John害羞草研究所檚 children would appreciate.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 want you to leave today,害羞草研究所� Fraser told John, 害羞草研究所渂ut when you do go, your boys can have them.害羞草研究所�

John agreed. 害羞草研究所淗e said, 害羞草研究所極kay, that sounds pretty good.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

So Fraser and Don looked through John害羞草研究所檚 old WWII Soldier害羞草研究所檚 Service and Pay Book.

害羞草研究所淚t said in the book that he qualified for some medals,害羞草研究所� said Don.

That害羞草研究所檚 when things got interesting for Fraser. He called Veterans Affairs Canada in Ottawa and spoke to someone in the Honour & Awards Section.

害羞草研究所淚 gave him all John害羞草研究所檚 info and he got back to us later saying John was eligible for two medals,害羞草研究所� said Fraser.

Don said his dad was surprised he would be receiving medals 74 years after the war.

Fraser said the ceremony at the Cloverdale Legion was well-attended.

害羞草研究所淚t was awesome,害羞草研究所� said Fraser. 害羞草研究所淛ohn was very proud of those medals. He earned them.害羞草研究所�

Fraser also said John looks great for being a centenarian.

害羞草研究所淣obody could believe his age. At 101, he looks like he could be 80.害羞草研究所�

When Scott MacMillan, Legion president, pinned the medals on John害羞草研究所檚 chest everyone in the Legion gave John a standing ovation.

害羞草研究所淚 got goosebumps,害羞草研究所� said Fraser. 害羞草研究所淭here were tears. It was amazing. Not only was there a lot of his family members, but there was also a lot of members in the Legion that night.害羞草研究所�

Thirty-one family members attended the ceremony, which included John害羞草研究所檚 children and their spouses, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

In total, John has nine children, 24 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren.

John was born in Antigonish, Nova Scotia in 1918, less than six weeks before the guns in Europe fell silent for the world害羞草研究所檚 first Armistice Day.

John was the youngest of five children and his mother passed away of pulmonary tuberculosis when John was two years old.

害羞草研究所淒ad was sent to live in Vancouver when he was six,害羞草研究所� said Don. 害羞草研究所淗e went to St. Patrick害羞草研究所檚 until he finished Grade 9, then he was off to work.害羞草研究所�

John was a sports enthusiast, according to Don, participating in lacrosse, football, and boxing. 害羞草研究所淗e lost his spleen to the butt end of a lacrosse stick.害羞草研究所�

Don said his dad then signed up with the army and was sent to Vernon for basic training.

害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 where he met my mother. She waited for three years for him to come back [from the war]. They had six boys and then adopted a girl who was a foster child. They then had two more girls. Mom passed away five years ago this November 12.害羞草研究所�

John served in Operation Cottage, part of the Aleutian Islands campaign, in 1943. Both Canadian and American forces landed on Kiska Island only to find the Japanese had already left. But due to mines, vehicle accidents, and friendly fire害羞草研究所攂oth Canadian and American forces mistook each other for Japanese troops害羞草研究所攖he landing accrued 313 casualties, 92 dead and 221 wounded.

John then went to Europe and was part of the force that invaded the German-held Netherlands.

The two medals John received are the France and Germany Star and the 1939-1945 War Service Medal.

害羞草研究所淗e is like a lot of soldiers,害羞草研究所� said Don. 害羞草研究所淭hey don害羞草研究所檛 want to talk about (the war) much. In the past he talked a bit about the people of (The Netherlands). He said they were very good to the Canadian soldiers. He would have liked to have gone back and visited them, but it never happened.害羞草研究所�

The Cloverdale Legion invited John to lay a wreath at the cenotaph in Veterans害羞草研究所� Square on Remembrance Day, but John declined. He lives in Langley and has been attending the Remembrance Day ceremony in Fort Langley for the last six years. John plans to continue on with that tradition again this year with his family.

害羞草研究所淗e said, 害羞草研究所楾hank you for the honour, but I just want to be with my family again this year.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

Don害羞草研究所檚 brother Terry lives in Fort Langley and John likes the town and the Remembrance Day service there.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a smaller community,害羞草研究所� Don said. 害羞草研究所淭he service is very well attended and feels more like a family atmosphere.害羞草研究所�

Don said the McLellans always head out for lunch afterwards.

害羞草研究所淢y brother Terry has been phoning ahead this year to try to confirm numbers. Last year, he made a reservation for lunch for 24 people, but 28 showed up.害羞草研究所�

Don said it害羞草研究所檚 going to be another big year for a big family. He said John can害羞草研究所檛 wait.

害羞草研究所淗e loves being with his family, going to the ceremony, and then going out with everyone after.害羞草研究所�