Jacqueline Pitre
(Juno Beach Centre Guide)

During her visit, she had heard about the Student Guide Program, through which bilingual, Canadian university students work at the Centre during one semester. They are responsible, among other things, for greeting visitors and providing guided tours of the beach. They aim to make every visit an educational and positive experience, and give the Juno Beach Centre, which is found in France, a truly Canadian feel.

The Canadian soldiers were young, they had dreams and their whole life ahead of them.

Jacqueline said she decided to apply in 2018, and that she was honoured and touched to have an opportunity to share the events of June 6, 1944, while representing Canada, with visitors from around the world. “The Canadian soldiers were young, they had dreams and their whole life ahead of them,” she explained. “They went to war knowing that they might never return home to Canada. Working along Juno Beach every day reminds me of the sacrifices the soldiers made when they landed on the beach. Thanks to their sacrifices, we have the freedom to walk along the beach today.”

Visitors can imagine how difficult and dangerous it was for the allied soldiers to land.

Jacqueline is very happy to help visitors discover the Juno Beach Centre and a part of history. She particularly enjoys guiding tours of the park and the beach. She explained that when they are on the beach, visitors can imagine how difficult and dangerous it was for the allied soldiers to land. Jacqueline’s experience piqued her curiosity and she recently discovered that her great uncle himself fought in the Battle of Normandy with the Régiment de Maisonneuve.

To honour the 75^th Anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy, Jacqueline Pitre is one of our Faces of Freedom. Through her work at the Juno Beach Centre, she recounts the stories of those who sacrificed themselves for the peace and freedom that we enjoy today.

For more information on the Juno Beach Centre, we invite you to visit the website.