On July 17, 1944, a young air force pilot was flying his P-51 Mustang fighter over France after the Allies invaded France beginning on D-Day.
Richard Rohmer, barely out of his teens, flew over the beaches during the Battle of Normandy as a fighter reconnaissance pilot.
On that fateful July day, the 20-year-old Canadian observed Field Marshall Erwin Rommel, Germany’s famed Desert Fox, motoring along in his staff car southeast of Caen.
Rohmer was not permitted to attack the car, but reported its location by radio to a command centre, which sent a pair of Spitfires that carried out the attack, destroying the car and seriously injuring Rommel, ending his participation in the battle.
Rohmer also took part in the liberation of France, Belgium and Holland during the Second World War.
He's also Canada’s most decorated veteran and a long-time Collingwood resident, having spent decades serving in the military.
On Tuesday, at the age of 100, Maj.-Gen. Rohmer was honoured by Georgian College with the naming of a roundabout at the Barrie campus in tribute to his service.
Among his extensive list of achievements and credentials, he is the honorary lieutenant-general of the Canadian Armed Forces, a respected lawyer, a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, an Officer of the Order of Canada, an award-winning author and an honorary degree recipient from Georgian in 2019 for his significant contributions to society.
Sharp as a tack and full of wit, Rohmer took to the podium at the ceremony in his honour and thanked everyone in attendance.
“It’s an honour,” the centenarian told BarrieToday on the sidelines after the event. “Being a person who has had a lot of publicity in my time, and I’ve written a lot of books and have done a lot of television and all that kind of stuff, it’s a kind of situation (where) I enjoy being spoken to, and my opinions considered from time to time, and being of some value.”
As for his hand in eliminating Rommel from the war, Rohmer said he didn’t know it was him until after the war.
“I was pleased in two ways: Number one, that I had caught him, and that changed the face of the war because he was taken out by the Spitfires, but the other part was the important work I was doing as a reconnaissance pilot at the age of 19 was of some value to our army and to our country,” he said.
Rohmer, who will turn 101 in January, also described an experience with another famous general during the war, this time with Gen. George Patton of the United States Army.
“He came to inspect me with other fighter aircraft (pilots),” he said. "I was 19 at the time and very small. I was the only Canadian there. Patton walked quickly in front of every aircraft. He was a tall man with a high-pitched voice."
Patton didn’t stop in front of any planes until he got to Rohmer.
“I looked about 15,” he said. “He looked up at the big Mustang airplane and he looked down at me, and he said, ‘how old are you, son?’ I said, ‘I’m 19 going on 20, sir.’"
In an expletive-filled reply, Patton asked if he indeed flew that airplane.
“I said, ‘Yes sir, I do.’”
Patton’s reply?
“‘Son of a bitch,' he exclaimed, and off he went, astounded,” Rohmer said with a laugh.
Georgian College president Kevin Weaver was clearly awestruck by Rohmer's presence at today's ceremony.
“It means a tremendous amount to have a living legend and truly a Canadian hero, to have his name permanently installed on the Barrie campus of Georgian College,” he told BarrieToday. “It means so much to us as a military-connected college.”
Weaver says he wants Rohmer's name to be remembered for generations to come — “to understand the sacrifices that individuals like Gen. Rohmer have made for our country, and to be able to celebrate that legacy. It’s just a small thing we can do to honour that.”
“Every time he speaks, and I tell him this all the time, he could go on for hours and hours, and I would listen to every single word," Weaver added. "He’s got a sense of humour. He’s got some wonderful stories that he does share."
Weaver also believes sharing those stories is what's important.
“At almost 101, he’s still here connecting and sharing stories, because he knows how important that journey has been, and that history,” he said. “And he wants to share that legacy with others, and I think that is remarkable.”
Jamie Massie, a local businessman and supporter of Georgian College, was blunt when describing Rohmer, his friend of many years.
“He is an extraordinary Canadian. He represents the greatest generation that this world has ever seen," Massie said.
