More than food

In 1983 the first group veterans came over to Holland. Prince Bernhard, who as we have seen in the book took part in the negotiations in 1945, was again present. He met with the veterans on Duindigt, a racetrack that was used as one of the drop zones.

Bob Upcott:

"I did not know how much the food was needed until 1985 when I was invited over for a special commemoration.

There was a massive celebration of operation Manna at the 40th Anniversary. There was a celebration and it was big! Fifty of us went with our wives, a group of hundred altogether. There were representatives of all the squadrons that had flown. There were only four Canadians over with our wives. I represented the 101st Squadron. One of the men there had been a ground crew operator. Representing the men that had loaded the aircrafts.

Those of us from Canada came over a week before the other men from the RAF did. It was a week of receptions, honors. We met some marvelous people that had received the food. Some brought out souvenirs, cans of chocolate that they had saved all these years.

It felt that although they always give credit to the Canadian Army for liberating Holland, that for the people in the heavily populated cities in Western Holland, where the starvation was, the real liberators were the aircraft that brought food."

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