NANAIMO — At 103 years old, Nick Janicki laid a wreath at the downtown Nanaimo Dallas Square Park Cenotaph.
The Nanaimo resident, who was then a 21-year-old soldier in the Canadian Scottish Regiment, helped fend off heavy resistance from Nazi German forces.
“I remember just like it was yesterday,” Janicki said of Liberation Day on April 10, 1944.
The war took a heavy toll on Janicki personally, whose brother David was killed in battle earlier in the conflict.
Nick Janicki placing a wreath at the warm memorial on downtown Nanaimo’s Church St. (Image Credit: Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)
Janicki was surrounded by dozens of thankful Nanaimo residents at the conclusion of the Nanaimo Remembrance Day ceremony, including a woman whose Dutch grandparents were in the occupied country at the time.
Vividly recalling details of Liberation Day in the Dutch city of Deventer east of Amsterdam, Janicki said they received a hero’s welcome while marching through the city.
“They marched us down the main street, of course there’s Dutch people lined up on the sidewalks, on the roads, rooftops, and waving out the windows, everyone is cheering.”
Janicki recalled his unit leader directing their march to a main square where a large church stood, where Janicki’s regiment absorbed what they had accomplished.
“I’ll never forget: freedom, liberation. That was a real education in what it was all about,” Janicki told NanaimoNewsNOW.
Nazi Germany officially surrendered to the Allied forces a month later, officially ending the war.
Janicki received praise from several people following the 2026 Nanaimo Remembrance Day ceremony. (Image Credit: Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)
Janicki, a resident of Nanaimo since the 1960’s, has gone back to Deventer several times over the years, where he noted the city’s mayor honoured him.
“He gave me a silver medal, gave me a page in their golden book and he made me an honourary citizen in the city of Deventer. I’ve been back a number of times, I love it.”
Janicki is planning to go back to the Dutch city with his grandson next spring.
In the range of four thousand people attended this year’s Remembrance Day ceremony in Nanaimo, which temporarily led to area street closures.
Local legions are hosting afternoon and evening social events, with additional details linked here.
This year is the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Legion, a pivotal advocacy and social organization in support of Canadian service members.
The Church and Front St. areas were filled with people paying their respects to service members who’ve served and continue serving our country. (Image Credit: Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)
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