Retracing the resistance route

Peterborough cyclist Lloyd Graham leading Canadian, Dutch youths on 700 km cycling tour of Second World War Dutch resistance route

A group of Canadian youths are about to embark on a cycling tour retracing the route of Dutch resistance during the Second World War.

Twenty-five youths, aged 18 to 28, are off to Markelo, Holland on Sunday for the Frank Graham Cycle Liberation Tour 2017.

There, they’ll be joined by 25 Dutch youth to make the 700-kilometre trek.

After taking a bus to England, the group starts their journey along the south coast, travelling the English Channel to France and Belgium, before working their way back into Holland the way the Dutch resistance returned.

The tour is named in honour of Frank Graham, 94, who was a corporal in the army during the war.

The Peterborough resident and his wife travelled to Markelo for many years to celebrate the liberation of Holland at the invitation of the Dutch government.

In 2010, the government sent out their last invite to Canadian veterans. Lloyd Graham, Frank’s son, said his father worried what would happen to the CanadianDutch relationship.

The tour was created to reinforce that connection among youth, while educating them on events of the Second World War.

“When you’re right there, you know you’ll never forget and that’s what my father is hoping for,” said Lloyd, 65.

The 10-day tour of the route of Dutch resistance is the third event on the Frank Graham Cycle Liberation Tour.

The first tour in 2013 took youth from Juno Beach, France to Markelo. In 2015, participants travelled death camps and prisoner-of-war camps from Poland to Germany to Austria to Holland.

“This tour is to show the Dutch didn’t roll over – they resisted,” Lloyd said of the 2017 tour.

Having toured with participants in the past, Lloyd knows it can be an emotional experience.

“You have a lump in your throat everyday,” he said.

For the first two tours, Frank and his wife met the group in Markelo for liberation celebrations. This year, however, the couple is unable to travel the distance.

Canadian and Dutch youth will be joined in Markelo by another 45 Canadians on April 27 for liberation and Remembrance Day celebrations.