One of the last surviving veterans of the World War II’s battle of Dunkirk was at the movie premiere of the film Dunkirk, that tells the true story of the allied soldiers who were evacuated during the bloody battle on France’s shores.
97-year-old Canadian Ken Sturdy visited Calgary’s Westhills Cinemas over the weekend to watch the Christopher Nolan film, which he said was “a privilege” and brought back many sad memories.
“I had the privilege of seeing that film tonight and I am saddened by it because of what happened on that beach,” Sturdy said. I never thought I would see that again. It was just like I was there again.”
Sturdy was 20 years old in 1940 when he piloted one of the little boats that saved soldiers from the water. He was a signal man with the Royal Navy, helping to evacuate soldiers. He says he lost many of his buddies in the battle.
“Tonight I cried because it’s never the end. It won’t happen. We the human species are so intelligent and we do such astonishing things. We can fly to the moon but we still do stupid things,” Sturdy told Global News. “So when I see the film tonight, I see it with a certain kind of sadness. Because what happened back then in 1940, it’s not the end.”
Moviegoers were surprised and honored to meet him at the theatre, with many patrons approaching the veteran to shake his hand and thank him.
Sturdy hopes the movie will help make people think beyond entertainment and reflect on war and our inability to avoid it.
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