By Deborah Shawcross

Regina World War II veteran honoured by France

Nov 8, 2014 | 11:45 AM

A Regina World War II veteran has been recognized for his service by a country he helped liberate.
 
France has made 93-year-old Harold Hague a knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honour.
 
Lt.-Gov. of Saskatchewan Vaughn Schofield presented Hague with the medal on Friday at Government House. She says Hague served both countries well during the invasion of Normandy in 1944.
 
“He was part of the flotilla that exploded all the mines that were around before the actual landing. I know that he saw a lot of ships sunk and a lot of his friends died,” said Schofield. 
 
Hague was invited to Ottawa to receive his medal from the French president, but wasn’t able to go. That didn’t bother Hague, as he preferred to be honoured in Saskatchewan.
 
“First of all I never expected to come out alive but I did. I got a lot of buddies here that I want to see because they were with me.”
 
Hague is well known in Regina for starting the shoe store Loggies and he was instrumental in moving the city’s memorial service to the Brandt Centre.
 
But becoming a knight doesn’t change things for Hague at home. Hague said that he tried to use his knighthood to get out of doing dishes but his wife was not having it. She tossed him a dish towel and reminded him that she is the queen.

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