Submitted by: Cameron O’Nanski
Original article from Metroland http://issuu.com/renfrewmercury/docs/renfrew071714
Veteran John O’Nanskie with before-and-after photos of World War
Two.
John (Jack) O’Nanskie, unlce of Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) citizen Cameron O’Nanski is a World War Two veteran from Renfrew, Ontario who recently receieved 20 powerful before-and-after images from Carole Hol, the daughter of friend Doreen Epton in England. The images were created by Getty photographer Peter Macdiarmid and Reuters photographer Chris Helgren who gathered archinve pictures from the 1944 invasion and photographed the same locations as they appear today.
June 6, marked the 70th anniversary of the DDay Allied Invasion of Europe in World War Two. When O’Nanskie was 16 years old he went overseas to war and stayed until he was 20. The photograph shows the French-armoured column passing through the small French town of St. Mere Eglise during the Allied invasion on May 7, 2014. On the right of the image, a family walks the same ground today. Behind is a painting of O’Nanskie as a young soldier. O’Nanskie has done signifant travel over the years. Now 88 years old, his livingroom walls are adorned with service medals and awards. Upon his return home, O’Nanski worked 40 years at Haley Industries.