It took 74 years, but John Andrew 91裸聊视频淒utch91裸聊视频� McLellan finally received his World War II medals.

McLellan was awarded his hardware at a ceremony Oct. 23 at the Royal Canadian Legion in Cloverdale.

91裸聊视频淒ad was feeling really great that night,91裸聊视频� said Don McLellan, John91裸聊视频檚 son.

Don said his dad appreciated that so many family members and others showed up to witness a ceremony 74 years in the making.

91裸聊视频淗e was pretty proud to receive the medals and he has them on his coffee table,91裸聊视频� said Don. 91裸聊视频淪omeone asked him after the ceremony what he thought about all this and he said, 91裸聊视频業 wonder why it all happened.91裸聊视频� They asked, 91裸聊视频榙o you mean the ceremony?91裸聊视频� He answered 91裸聊视频榥o, why the war had to happen?91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�

Don was also glad to see so many people there, both family and others. 91裸聊视频淎 lot of times the veterans get forgotten.91裸聊视频�

But it was no clerical error that prevented John from receiving his medals, he just never applied for them.

91裸聊视频淗e91裸聊视频檚 just that type of person,91裸聊视频� Don said. 91裸聊视频淗e said to me when I asked him, 91裸聊视频業 never applied for them because I was just doing my job.91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�

John may not have received his medals at all had the family not inquired to see if John was eligible for a veteran91裸聊视频檚 pension.

Don said his dad was in the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery. 91裸聊视频淗e suffered some hearing loss because of his (service), so we thought he would definitely qualify for a veteran91裸聊视频檚 pension.91裸聊视频�

As they inquired about the pension, they contacted the Cloverdale Legion. That91裸聊视频檚 when Earl Fraser, the Legion91裸聊视频檚 service officer, paid John a visit.

91裸聊视频淚 went to his house to visit him and see if we could get him a disability pension from Veterans Affairs Canada.91裸聊视频�

Fraser asked John where his war medals were.

91裸聊视频淎we, I never got them,91裸聊视频� John said. 91裸聊视频淏ut it doesn91裸聊视频檛 matter.91裸聊视频�

Fraser then told John he should apply for them, even if it was just something John91裸聊视频檚 children would appreciate.

91裸聊视频淚 don91裸聊视频檛 want you to leave today,91裸聊视频� Fraser told John, 91裸聊视频渂ut when you do go, your boys can have them.91裸聊视频�

John agreed. 91裸聊视频淗e said, 91裸聊视频極kay, that sounds pretty good.91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�

So Fraser and Don looked through John91裸聊视频檚 old WWII Soldier91裸聊视频檚 Service and Pay Book.

91裸聊视频淚t said in the book that he qualified for some medals,91裸聊视频� said Don.

That91裸聊视频檚 when things got interesting for Fraser. He called Veterans Affairs Canada in Ottawa and spoke to someone in the Honour & Awards Section.

91裸聊视频淚 gave him all John91裸聊视频檚 info and he got back to us later saying John was eligible for two medals,91裸聊视频� said Fraser.

Don said his dad was surprised he would be receiving medals 74 years after the war.

Fraser said the ceremony at the Cloverdale Legion was well-attended.

91裸聊视频淚t was awesome,91裸聊视频� said Fraser. 91裸聊视频淛ohn was very proud of those medals. He earned them.91裸聊视频�

Fraser also said John looks great for being a centenarian.

91裸聊视频淣obody could believe his age. At 101, he looks like he could be 80.91裸聊视频�

When Scott MacMillan, Legion president, pinned the medals on John91裸聊视频檚 chest everyone in the Legion gave John a standing ovation.

91裸聊视频淚 got goosebumps,91裸聊视频� said Fraser. 91裸聊视频淭here were tears. It was amazing. Not only was there a lot of his family members, but there was also a lot of members in the Legion that night.91裸聊视频�

Thirty-one family members attended the ceremony, which included John91裸聊视频檚 children and their spouses, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

In total, John has nine children, 24 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren.

John was born in Antigonish, Nova Scotia in 1918, less than six weeks before the guns in Europe fell silent for the world91裸聊视频檚 first Armistice Day.

John was the youngest of five children and his mother passed away of pulmonary tuberculosis when John was two years old.

91裸聊视频淒ad was sent to live in Vancouver when he was six,91裸聊视频� said Don. 91裸聊视频淗e went to St. Patrick91裸聊视频檚 until he finished Grade 9, then he was off to work.91裸聊视频�

John was a sports enthusiast, according to Don, participating in lacrosse, football, and boxing. 91裸聊视频淗e lost his spleen to the butt end of a lacrosse stick.91裸聊视频�

Don said his dad then signed up with the army and was sent to Vernon for basic training.

91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 where he met my mother. She waited for three years for him to come back [from the war]. They had six boys and then adopted a girl who was a foster child. They then had two more girls. Mom passed away five years ago this November 12.91裸聊视频�

John served in Operation Cottage, part of the Aleutian Islands campaign, in 1943. Both Canadian and American forces landed on Kiska Island only to find the Japanese had already left. But due to mines, vehicle accidents, and friendly fire91裸聊视频攂oth Canadian and American forces mistook each other for Japanese troops91裸聊视频攖he landing accrued 313 casualties, 92 dead and 221 wounded.

John then went to Europe and was part of the force that invaded the German-held Netherlands.

The two medals John received are the France and Germany Star and the 1939-1945 War Service Medal.

91裸聊视频淗e is like a lot of soldiers,91裸聊视频� said Don. 91裸聊视频淭hey don91裸聊视频檛 want to talk about (the war) much. In the past he talked a bit about the people of (The Netherlands). He said they were very good to the Canadian soldiers. He would have liked to have gone back and visited them, but it never happened.91裸聊视频�

The Cloverdale Legion invited John to lay a wreath at the cenotaph in Veterans91裸聊视频� Square on Remembrance Day, but John declined. He lives in Langley and has been attending the Remembrance Day ceremony in Fort Langley for the last six years. John plans to continue on with that tradition again this year with his family.

91裸聊视频淗e said, 91裸聊视频楾hank you for the honour, but I just want to be with my family again this year.91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�

Don91裸聊视频檚 brother Terry lives in Fort Langley and John likes the town and the Remembrance Day service there.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a smaller community,91裸聊视频� Don said. 91裸聊视频淭he service is very well attended and feels more like a family atmosphere.91裸聊视频�

Don said the McLellans always head out for lunch afterwards.

91裸聊视频淢y brother Terry has been phoning ahead this year to try to confirm numbers. Last year, he made a reservation for lunch for 24 people, but 28 showed up.91裸聊视频�

Don said it91裸聊视频檚 going to be another big year for a big family. He said John can91裸聊视频檛 wait.

91裸聊视频淗e loves being with his family, going to the ceremony, and then going out with everyone after.91裸聊视频�