Ottawa's annual Take a Veteran to Dinner Night allows veterans to connect with civilians beyond the usual staid Remembrance Day ceremonies.

Second World War veteran Lou Howard recalls meeting a keen Grade 6 boy, who asked his parents to attend after a lesson at school had him craving more information about the war.

"Before I knew it, we became buddies," Howard told Alan Neal on CBC Radio's All In A Day.

The former sub-lieutenant in the navy said the boy later invited him to his home to meet more curious youth who wanted to hear tales from the war.

"That became a chance for me to tell my story of what I did between the ages of 18 and 21," Howard said.

That includes the story of how he helped rescue the survivors from HMCS Esquimalt after a German U-boat torpedoed it outside the Halifax harbour in 1945. He was serving aboard the HMCS Sarnia at the time.

30 civilians short for Sunday

But there's a shortage of about 30 civilians to pair up with military veterans at this year's event, said organizer Tobin Kelly.

He said the event is an opportunity to thank veterans and their partners over dinner — with a side of history.

'I was fortunate to come out alive.' - Second World War veteran Lou Howard

"We have, essentially, perfect strangers sit down together," Kelly said.

"The friendships and conversation that happen when they're seated together has been pretty amazing to see."

Howard said he recalled giving a speech on the 1945 Halifax riot — and finding out only two people in the room of 150 knew about it.

"This is the history that I think should have been taught," he said, adding that he want to continue to share his stories from the Second World War with others who want to learn.

"I was fortunate to be part of it. I was fortunate to come out alive. There were two occasions when, if people had made other decisions, I wouldn't be here today and you wouldn't know me. So I'm the luckiest guy in the world."

Take a Veteran to Dinner Night is being held on Sunday at Tudor Hall, near Hunt Club Road and Riverside Drive.

Listen to the full interview here.