OTA Contributes to Victoria Cross, Juno Beach Initiatives

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TORONTO, Ont. – The OTA marked Remembrance Day by donating funds to two related initiatives. The Ontario Trucking Association will be making a donation of $10,000 to the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion Trust (which is raising money to keep the Victoria Cross won by the late Cpl. Fred Topham of Toronto on display in Canada) and $2,500 to the Juno Beach Centre in Normandy, France commemorating Canada’s sacrifice during WWII.

OTA president David Bradley made the announcement at the association’s 78th annual convention.

The $12,500 will be donated from the proceeds of the OTA convention. And convention delegates (some 4,000 or more over the two days of the convention) will be asked to contribute individually.

“Trucking is a proud Canadian industry. Many members of the trucking industry were among those who made the supreme sacrifice in both WWI and WWII. We think it’s essential to keep their memories and the memory of all those who served alive,” said Bradley.

“This is the first time that our convention was held on Nov. 11. We wanted to do more than simply observe a moment of silence at 11 am.”

“The generous contribution of the Ontario Trucking Association goes a long way toward ensuring that we keep Cpl. Topham’s Victoria Cross in Canada for all to see and remember the sacrifices of our veterans,” said Lt. Col. John Fotheringham, from The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada.

Bradley said the association had been discussing making a contribution to the Juno Beach Centre for some time, and that many association members were touched by the story that came to light recently that the Victoria Cross (the Commonwealth’s highest military honour) won by Mr. Topham during the Battle of the Rhine in 1945 could be bought by a private collector.

“We’d like to see the medal stay on display in a Canadian museum,” said Bradley.

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