"He's just going to be missed."
A local war hero has died just days before the 80th anniversary of Europe's liberation in the Second World War. Veteran Jim Spenst has passed away at the age of 99.
Royal Canadian Legion Branch #60 Estevan's President Jim "Frosty" Forrest was close to the veteran. He shared that Spenst was a huge driving force for the Legion, having been a member of the local branch for over 70 years.
"I wasn't a member of this Legion when Jim was president. I've heard numerous stories. You know, he ran a good ship. Things got done. They looked after things - and Jim's relayed a lot of that to me. You know, [he] kind of provided me with a little guidance in my position because he's done this and he understands what it takes to keep the Legion going."
According to Forrest, Spenst was en route to the Netherlands earlier this week to celebrate VE Day and participate in the celebrations with other veterans. However, while in Toronto, he fell ill. He passed away on Wednesday, the day before the anniversary of when Nazi Germany surrendered.
The Legion president recalled that Spenst was a sharp man with a great sense of humour. Their friendship started when Forrest took his vehicle to Jim's body shop 52 years ago.
"I'd been in Estevan about a month, that was 52 years ago. I had an accident and I took my car to Jim and we wound up sitting in the office drinking Five Star [Canadian Whiskey]. And, I guess we kind of had a friendship started there and it continued through the years."
"[He] always had a story to tell and, you know, a little humor. He always knew where you stood with Jim Spenst. I mean, he didn't pull no punches. If he had an opinion of you or somebody else, you bloody well knew what it was. And Jim was just a lot of fun. We're going to miss him. I'm going to miss him."
Now more than ever, it's important to remember the fallen soldiers and veterans who lived to tell their stories, Forrest expressed. "If you don't remember that stuff and pay attention to what's happening and so on, it can all happen again. There's tremendous loss of life in the Second World War. And Canadians, many, many Canadians, lost their lives in the Second World War and many came back damaged. It's important that we remember them, we honour them. To me, it will never cease to be important to remember those people."
"We just can't, we just cannot forget. We cannot forget."
Spenst landed in France in July 1944 and stayed until the liberation. He was then enlisted in the Canadian occupying forces in Germany. Spenst was discharged from his military duties in March 1946.
In December 2023, the French Ambassador to Canada, Michel Miralliet, presented him with the Legion of Honour, one of France's highest honours. The award is given to veterans who served in World War II and helped liberate France. He was able to return to France last year to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day.