Richmond “Dick” Deck was one of thousands in attendance at the City of Surrey’s Remembrance Day ceremony at the Cloverdale Cenotaph. Deck, a World War II airman and former prisoner of war, laid a wreath for all POWs.
Deck, now 103, was accompanied to the cenotaph by son Bryan Deck amidst a sea of cheering and clapping from those in attendance. It was the fourth year in a row Deck laid a wreath in Cloverdale.
Deck said after the ceremony he was excited to be at the service and that he felt “really good” to be able to be in Veterans’ Square on Nov. 11.
Deck quipped after the ceremony that he wasn’t sure if people were clapping for him because of his war-time service or because of his age.
“Was it because I’m 103?” he asked with a laugh.
He said it means to the world to him to continue to come to Cloverdale and lay a wreath on behalf of his aircrew comrades and all POWs.
“It’s awesome,” he said. “I’m very thankful I’m still able to do it. That crowd, my goodness.”
Deck was a bomb aimer on a Halifax bomber, “E” in the RCAF’s 429 Bomber Squadron, which Deck and the boys called “Easy.” The Halifax aircraft required a crew of seven: pilot, navigator, flight engineer, wireless operator, bomb aimer, mid-upper gunner, and tail gunner.
Easy was shot down west of Magdeburg, Germany, on Jan. 16, 1945. Before the plane exploded, the entire crew of Easy floated safely to the ground. Each man was eventually captured by the Nazis, but all seven made it home after the war. Deck is the only member still alive.
Along with bomb aimer Richmond “Dick” Deck (Brooksby, SK) were: Pilot F.H. “Bud” Biddell (Regina, SK), navigator Charles “Chuck” Chapman (Ridgedale, SK), wireless air gunner R.H.S. “Roy” Bourne (Blairmore, AB), flight engineer R.H. “Ron” Streatfield (Kent, England), mid-upper gunner Fred “Pete” Peters (Verlo, SK), and tail gunner Roy “Phil” Phillips (Ontario).
Deck said even though his plane was shot down nearly 80 years ago, he still thinks of his fellow crew members and other brothers-in-arms who perished in the war.
“I think of them,” he said. “A lot of my body is shot and my memory is part of that. But yes I think of them.”
Deck said he plans to come back next year to lay another wreath if he’s able.
“If I’m still here,” he said with a laugh.
Bryan said it was a “huge honour” for him to be able to bring his dad down to Cloverdale for the Remembrance Day service.
Pat Ostrom, 1st vice-president of the Cloverdale Legion, said the ceremony in Veterans’ Square went off without a hitch. He said the Legion was honoured Deck could participate in the ceremony again.
“It was awesome,” Ostrom said. “We couldn't even finish our announcement before the applause started.”
He added it was “pretty amazing” to have a 103-year-old veteran lay a wreath at the cenotaph.
Yvon Lehoux, sergeant-at-arms for the Cloverdale Legion, led the colour party as part of the Remembrance Day ceremony.
“I’m very happy,” he said. “Everything went well. We always have a little bit of luck and things go smoothly.”
Lehoux said he thought about 3,000 attended.
“It was a very good turnout,” he added. “I’m pleased with the way it went. We will keep the spirit going for next year.”
Throngs of people sat in portable grandstands and lined the perimeter around the Cloverdale Cenotaph to pay their respects to the men and women who served their country and those who lost their lives in the service of their country.
Veterans’ Square hosted the largest of several ceremonies in Surrey, with others being held at Surrey Centre Cemetery, the Whalley Cenotaph, and the Royal Canadian Legion in Crescent Branch.
The daughters of Silver Cross Mother Sian LeSueur also laid a wreath at the cenotaph on behalf of all Silver Cross Mothers across Canada. Mothers who have lost a child in service to Canada receive the Silver Cross. LeSueur lost her son, Garrett William Chidley, in Afghanistan in 2010. Since 2018, this includes soldiers who’ve taken their own lives after suffering from PTSD.
Mayor Mayor Brenda Locke also laid a wreath as did other local politicians and dignitaries.
After wreaths were laid and the ceremony was completed, there was a “march past” from the cenotaph to the Cloverdale Legion.
A recording of the live-streamed event from Veterans’ Square in Cloverdale is available on the City of Surrey’s Heritage Services Facebook page.
