Victory Journey Doc - Retracing the Journey to Freedom
About the Film
Synopsis
Victory Journey's original mission was to retrace, by bike, the 1000-plus mile route of George G. Blackburn, a Canadian WWII artillery soldier, by his granddaughter, from March to May of 2020 and in time for VE Day's 75th Anniversary. Guided by maps and stories in books Blackburn wrote in the last years of his life, his granddaughter, Kim Galway continues to plan to stand where her grandfather stood in May of 1945, when Allied Victory was celebrated. This journey and documentary were borne out of a promise she made to him on his deathbed: to ensure the sacrifices of WWII Allies are never forgotten. Victory Journey is her tribute to her grandfather and to all who served on the Allied forces who, in 1945, bought us back our freedom.
#wewillneverforgetWWII
@vicjourney2020
Background
Victory Journey is based on the maps and stories found in two of George G.Blackburn's award winning trilogy, "The Guns of Normandy," and "The Guns of Victory," with "Where the Hell Are the Guns?" serving as the prelude. The journey begins across the Channel to land on Juno Beach and from there honor the various battles seen during Blackburn's deployment through Normandy, Belgium, Holland and Germany.
A special stop in Westerbork Concentration/Transit/Deportation Camp (which 2nd Canadian Division liberated in April of 1945), will include a tribute to victims of the Holocaust and the 101,000 Dutch Jews and roughly 5,000 German Jews who were sent from Westerbork (the largest Holocaust transit point in Western Europe) to their deaths in Occupied Poland.
A Message from Kim
If your father, grandfather, uncle, brother, friend or loved one was a member of Allied efforts at any level, you may also be alarmed to see how quickly the lessons, memory and impact of their services appear to be fading from social consciousness. My 1000-mile journey and documentary aim to reinvigorate modern gratitude and reverence for all Allied servicemen and women whose sacrifice continues to benefit us today. May our generation, and those that follow, keep the "torch of remembrance" burning brightly, fortifying the memory of our treasured WWII Allied family members and friends. #VEDay75thAnniversary
Help make victory journey happen!
Lest We Forget
As Victory Journey continues to honor the courageous sacrifices of WWII Allied servicemen and women, your donations help ensure our efforts continue to keep the torch of remembrance burning brightly.
