Harold Hague, a well-known Regina World War II veteran, and business owner has died.
Hague, a member of the Royal Regina Rifles, was one of the Canadians who stormed the beaches of Normandy during D-Day on June 6th, 1944.
Close friend Will Chabun says because of Hague’s experience, he became an impromptu voice for Regina veterans.
“In his later years, Harold became sort of the unofficial voice of veterans in Regina, because he was so smart, so reflective, and so articulate,” said Chabun. “He was interviewed dozens upon dozens of times because he could put into context D-Day and what it meant to Canada and its veterans.”
In addition to serving his country, Hague served his community as the owner of Loggies Shoes, where he contributed greatly to the growth of Regina’s downtown.
“He knew everybody who was important in Regina, and he had a really good sense of the politics and the forces that were shaping the city,” said Chabun. “Nobody had as much insightful information about downtown Regina as Harold did. And he was an exceedingly nice man.”
Chabun says Hague’s passing means a loss of a piece of Regina’s history and culture of the 40s, 50s, and 60s.
“It means that a little bit of our collective memory about the sacrifice and the horrors of the Second World War has passed away,” said Chabun. “I think he might have been the last D-Day veteran still living in Regina at the time of his death, and those were incredible times and we’ve lost an eyewitness to that. We’re all a little bit poorer for that.”
Hague was also chair of the 1995 Canada Remembers Program in Saskatchewan and a recipient of the Royal Canadian Legion’s Meritorious Service medal.