Updated: 08 June, 2006

Canada

Canadian Military Units

• CANUCK is the largest and most comprehensive source, online or off, regarding the uniforms, traditions, and insignia of Canadian soldiers in the 20th Century. Over 4,000 images dealing with history, equipment, literature  are presented here for students of history, re-enactors, modellers, gamers, serious researchers and anyone interested in the Canadian Army between 1900 and 1999. Make sure to check out these two links of this excellent website:  Ribands of medals Orders & Decorations 1900 - 1967 Ribands of medals Orders & Decorations 1967 - 1999

• Regiments and Corps of Canada since 1783 (T.F. Mills) (The most comprehensive list on the net)

• Sherbrooke Hussards

  • A nice list of Canadian military units on the web

• Awards - List of medals awarded to the men of the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment)

• They Served for Freedom - List veterans from Prince Edward Island in all wars. The War Veterans Club of the Royal Canadian Legion branch #17 Wellington, Prince Edward Island

• Canadian Military History Bibliography - A Bibliography of Regimental Histories in the University of Calgary Library

• Tenth Canadian Infantry Battalion 1910-20

• Steel Chariots  (The story of Canadian Armour, by Chris Johnson)

  • Fort Gary Horse (Unofficial Website)

  • LdSH Honours and Awards (See bottom of the page)

    • Lord Stathcona's Horse makes history in London as Queen's Life Guard 

• The Third Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (History – DND Site)

• Royal Canadian Regiment DND Website

• Newfoundland Rangers Home Page

• Royal Newfoundland Regiment - In the Canadian province of Newfoundland, the 1st of July is known as Memorial Day, for on this day in 1916, 801 members of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment went over the top at Beaumont Hamel. At the end of the day, only 68 members of the Regiment responded at roll call.  

  • Visit the Veteran Affairs Canada Newfoundland Beaumont Hamel Memorial Website for complete details

  • Beaumont Hamel Pilgrimage - More  (Pilgrimage to Commemorate 85^th of the Battle)

• 85th Battalion Nova Scotia Highlanders

  • 85th Canadian Infantry Battalion Nova Scotia Highlanders (Nominal Roll of Officers and Other Ranks - Over 3.000 names - Although the surnames are sorted by the first letter of last name, they may not be alphabetical once within the "letter".) (Sep 02)

• Royal Winnipeg Rifles - The following is believed to be a complete list of honours and awards presented to members of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles.

• Awards  - WWII

• The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry was formed in 1862 as the 13th Battalion, Volunteer Militia (Infantry) Canada, but had its roots in local units of Volunteer Militia, notably the 1st and 2nd Companies of Volunteer Rifles (Hamilton), formed in 1855, and the Volunteer Highland Company (No. 3 Company) formed in 1856.

• The Queen's York Rangers Victoria Cross Winners

• Canadian Forces Museums - Directorate of History and Heritage

• Firehouse651.com List of awards earned by Canadian military and DND Fire Service personnel.

• Canadian Navy Website

• Canadian Forces Intelligence Branch Association

Canadian Air Force

• Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Military Awards Covers WWI awards (about 800 awards to roughly 600 men),  WWII (9,200 awards to about 8,000 men) and postwar to 1966. Roughly equivalent to 5,000 pages of published information, the data is updated and refined by historian Hugh Halliday on a continuing basis.airforce.ca

• Canadian Air Force - I recently read a very interesting article about the Turnbull brothers.  The three brothers were pilots in the RCAF, and all three earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) during WWII. Walter Lundy Turnbull won his DFC on 13 Apr 1945. His brother, John Cameron Turnbull received his DFC on 27 Jun 1944. In 1975, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada. Robert Steele Turnbull became the most decorated of the three brothers. He was awarded a Distinguished Flying Medal on 23 Dec 1941. This was followed by an Air Force Cross on 1 Jan 1944 and a DFC on 19 May 1944. Robert was awarded a second DFC on 8 Dec 1944. France also awarded him the Croix de Guerre with Silver Palm on 20 Sep 1947. Quite a unique series of awards to three brothers who survived the war. (Ref: Three Brothers - Three DFCs - A Family of Heroes by Les Allison in Air Force Magazine Vol 22, No. 4, Winter 1998-99. NOTE: Less Allison is the co-author of the book "They Shall Grow Not Old", which lists the names and circumstances of the death of nearly 18,000 RCAF personnel during WWII.)

• Bomber Command - Raids, Tactics, Personalities The Valour and Horror

• Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame

• Highlights in the History of Canadian Aviation 

• Medals and Awards of 432 Squadron - RCAF - For further information on 432 Sqn, visit the RCAF 432 "Leaside" Squadron website Dec 01

• Spitfire pilot named 403 Sqn honorary colonel - Pilot Officer Steve Butte, DFC, WWII Spitfire Pilot. Mar 02

• Unsung air force hero finally gets his due, at 94 (Clarence Rupert Dunlap, last surviving Royal Canadian Air Force air marshal, a veteran of 35 bombing missions over Europe and the former deputy commander of the North American Aerospace Defence Command. His efforts in the lead-up to the invasions of Sicily and Italy resulted in his being named Commander of the Order of the British Empire; other decorations include the Croix de Guerre with Gold Star from France and the Silver Star from the U.S.) Dunlap CAHF (Jun 02)

• Air force group honours flying hero (On May 14, 1943, Kenneth Spooner and four other crew members climbed aboard  an Avro Anson, a twin-prop plane used to train pilots and navigators. The Anson lifted into the sky above London and headed south toward Lake Erie for a routine flight. For reasons unknown, the pilot collapsed, and the result was disastrous because nobody else on board knew how to fly the plane. Spooner took charge, and slid into the pilot's seat and, while struggling to control the aircraft, ordered the others to bail out. The Anson crashed into killing Spooner and the stricken pilot.Much later, officials posthumously awarded Spooner the George Cross -- the highest non-combat award for courage -- citing his "great courage, resolution and unselfishness." (Sep 02)

• Flight Lieutenant Donald Simpson, DFC has died aged 91 DFC for his coolness in helping get a crippled Lancaster bomber back to England from a raid over Germany. Photo (Feb 03)

• John Rose, DFC has died aged 79 Won the Distinguished Flying Cross for completing a bombing mission over Germany in a damaged aircraft. Rose was a flight lieutenant when assigned to join an attack on Munich in January, 1945. His bomber suffered serious damage from enemy fire and became difficult to fly, although Mr. Rose decided not to abort the mission. On his return, the port outer engine failed, causing the bomber to lose altitude rapidly. Mr. Rose regained control at 1,000 feet and nursed his plane home. Earlier in the war, he had survived a midair collision with another bomber. 

• Ted Chambers, DFC has died aged 79 Flight Officer Ted Chambers was a bomb aimer whose patient tenacity won him the Distinguished Flying Cross. Assigned to No. 166 Squadron of the Royal Air Force Bomber Command, it was said that Mr. Chambers never failed to bomb a target during 30 operations over Germany and occupied Europe. His accuracy on nighttime bombing raids was as good as many others in daytime. "Throughout these sorties he has displayed a magnificent offensive spirit and has proved himself in every way a worthy member of a gallant crew," stated the recommendation for the medal. "He has allowed nothing to deter him from his purpose and no matter whether subjected to heavy anti-aircraft gun fire or harassed by enemy fighters, he has never failed to bomb his target with consistent accuracy." (Dec 02)
• France Honours Canadian Pilot The French government has awarded a medal to a Canadian pilot who died fighting forest fires on the Mediterranean island of Corsica. Terry Walchuk, 44, of Clearwater, B.C., died with his French co-pilot when their helicopter crashed. The two were working for Erickson Air-Crane Inc. of Oregon, a company specialized in fighting forest fires. The award was announced at a memorial in Corsica. cnews.canoe.ca 1 Sep 04

• Air Commodore Leonard Birchall Air Commodore Leonard Birchall, who has died at Kingston, Ontario, aged 89, was known as "the Saviour of Ceylon" because he spotted the Japanese Fleet approaching the island, which was the base for the Royal Navy's Eastern Fleet in 1942; as he radioed the position of the enemy force, his flying boat was shot down in flames and spent the remained of the war in captivity. On his return to Canada, Birchall was appointed OBE in 1946, when the citation recorded that "he continually displayed the utmost concern for the welfare of fellow prisoners with complete disregard for his own safety. His consistent gallantry and glowing devotion to his men were in keeping with the finest traditions of the service". His own flight engineer, Brian Catlin, who spent much of the time with him as a PoW, echoed the feelings of many when he said: "There are many alive today who would not have survived without Birchall." In 1950, President Harry Truman appointed Birchall an officer of the Legion of Merit, saying: "His exploits became legendary throughout Japan and brought renewed faith and strength to many hundreds of ill and disheartened prisoners." Birchall was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 1999. He was one of only two recipients of a fifth clasp to the Canadian Decoration; the other was Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. telegraph.co.uk 18 Sep 04

• WWI pilot remembered as gallant man Henry Botterell, the last of a special breed of Canadian airmen, believed to be the last living Canadian fighter pilot to serve in World War I, flying a Sopwith Camel against the best enemy pilots and braving machine-gun fire in the skies over France, Botterell died Jan. 3 in the veterans' wing at Sunnybrook hospital. He was 106 years old. More More  (Jan 03)

• Monument unveiled to honour air force pilots - The 411 Wing (Chatham) Royal Canadian Air Force Association unveiled the monument Sunday afternoon at Legion Memorial Park after a parade and service commemorating the victory of the Battle of Britain by Allied forces. Second World War veteran Bill Martin — the only surviving local RCAF pilot to be honoured with the Distinguished Flying Cross — said the memorial is beautiful, but has been too long in coming. Martin, who served with the Pathfinders force that would routinely fly behind enemy lines to do reconnaissance completed two tours of operations. (Sep 02)

• Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum (Brandon, Manitoba, Canada) Contains a lot of Air Force Information

  Aerodrome of Democracy: Canada and the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan 1939-1945  By F. J. Hatch (7.0MB- PDF File Format - DHH Website) Date of Publication: 1983 ISBN: 0660114437 Publisher: Canadian Government Publishing Centre, Ottawa

• 1 Wing Website (Contains links to: 

Obituaries

• LCol John McCrae - The medals of the World War I Canadian army doctor who wrote the poem "In Flanders Fields" were auctioned off and sold for $400,000.00 Canadian. McCrae's three WWI medals, his Boer War medal (QSA)(with 3 clasps), and a brass memorial plaque issued to his family after he died in France were expected to sell for $20,000.00 dollars.

• Medals of LGen G.G. Simonds - RMC Museum

• Canada - Bert Hoffmeister, much decorated 'soldier's general' passed away December 5^th, 1999 at the age of 93. According to noted Canadian military historian and Director of the Canadian War Museum, Jack Granatstein: "He was our finest fighting commander." Hoffmeister rose from part-time soldier in the militia to the rank of Major-General in Canada's wartime forces. He was a fearless general, who led his troops from the front. The soldiers liked Hoffmeister for his easy smile and his confidence breeding habit of popping in where the fighting was thickest to help direct operations or just to say hello. There was one story that his driver should have been given a Victoria Cross just for accompanying him around. He was a Captain in the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada, a Vancouver militia regiment when the war started in September 1939. He volunteered for immediate service overseas and got his wish that December, with the rank of Major. He commanded the Seaforths during the invasion of Sicily in 1943 with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. Later, Hoffmeister was promoted to Brigadier and was given command of the 2^nd Canadian Infantry Brigade during the 1943 Battle for Ortona in Italy. In an action that one British General called "one of the biggest victories of the war," Major-General Hoffmeister, by then a general, led the 5^th Armoured Division, nicknamed Hoffy's Mighty Maroon Machine, in a 1944 breaching of the heavily defended Gothic line on Italy's Adriatic coast. By 1945, he was commander of the Canadian Far East Force, which was assigned for the planned invasion of Japan. Hoffmeister got that command because he proved himself to be better than most of the regular officers. General Hoffmeister is well decorated, having been awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) a rare three times. His many other honours include the Legion of Merit (U.S.), the Order of Orange Nassau (Netherlands), and the Military Order of Italy. He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1982. (Ref: The Toronto Star, 9 Dec 9

• BGen Denis Whitaker (RHLI)

• General E..L.M. Burns, CM, OBE, MC - Biography (Aug 02)

• Cpl Douglas Bertram MacDonald, MM

• George 'Buzz' Beurling killed at age 26 on 20 May, 1948, when the Norseman plane he is piloting for the Israeli underground army Haganah blows up at Urbe airport. Canada's top World War II air ace with 31 1/2 kills, Beurling was born on the Miramachi, and brought up in Verdun Quebec; a high school dropout, he hung around airports until he learned to fly, failed to join the RCAF, but got into the RAF; shot down 27 German planes over Malta in a two week period, earning him the DFC, DSO, DFM and Bar He was buried in Rome's English cemetery between the graves of Keats and Shelley, but two years later the grateful state of Israel exhumed his body, laid him in state in Haifa, and buried him at the base of Mount Carmel, near the cave of Elijah the Prophet. [Photo: Ottawa Citizen; portrait by Robert Hyndman].

• Group Captain Hartland Molson, OBE, OC OQ has died aged 95 Battle of Britain pilot, an independent member of the Canadian Senate and head of the Dominion's most distinguished commercial dynasty.Molson joined the RCAF and at his request was assigned to the fighter squadron dispatched to support the RAF in the Battle of Britain. He was shot down in a dogfight at 23,000 feet on his 63rd combat mission. In 1946, he was decorated with the Order of the British Empire, the first of a multitude of honours he was accorded in a lifetime rich with them. He received the Order of Canada in 1995 and was made a member of the Order of Quebec in 2000. More - More (Photo) (Oct 02)

• Rear-Admiral Antony Storrs, DSC and Bar has died at the age of 95 - More He received a Legion of Merit medal from the United States, a Légion d'Honneur and Croix de Guerre from France, and a Distinguished Service Cross from Britain.(Sep 02)

• Colonel Johnny Bourne has died aged 84 As a battalion commander of the Canadian/United States First Special Service Force, Bourne saw his first action in Italy in January 1944 on Mount Majo, south east of Monte Cassino. After fighting their way to its summit, his men held out against a series of determined counter attacks. When ammunition ran low, their training in German weapons paid off as they poured fire from captured MG42s into the enemy. Their practice of attacking with blackened faces at night led the Germans to nickname them "Black Devils". In 1985, he was appointed CVO. (Feb 03)

• Brigadier 'Budge' Bell-Irving, OBE, DSO, OC  has died aged 89 Seaforth Highlanders of Canada. DSO and Bar in Italy and Holland, and twice mentioned in dispatches. His final service was as a member of the court which tried the German SS commander, Kurt Meyer, for the murder of Canadian prisoners in Normandy. Honorary colonel of the Seaforths and was appointed OBE and OC. Became one of the most popular lieutenant-governors in the history of British Columbia. (Oct 02)

• Rear Admiral Desmond William Piers DSC, CM, CD, D.sc.Mil, Klj, RCN (Ret'd) - Biography

• Colonel George Stanley, CC, CD KStJ has died aged 95 - More The man whose design made the Canadian flag into one of the world's instantly recognizable national ensigns has died in Sackville, N.B. Historian, educator, author and former provincial lieutenant-governor (Oct 02)

• Major Henry Bell-Irving, OBE, DSO and Bar,OC, OBC, KtsJ, MID(2) has died aged 89 More He began the Second World War a lieutenant in the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada and ended it a brigadier-general. Along the way, he captured a key ridge in Sicily, held a bridgehead on the Savio River in Italy, mourned a younger brother killed in action, became a Dutch folk hero by liberating Amsterdam, was awarded the Distinguished Service Order with bar and was named to the Order of the British Empire for his fearlessness as a combatant and his leadership as an officer. Mr. Bell-Irving's working life began at isolated salmon canneries along the British Columbia coast and ended a half-century later at Government House in Victoria, where he served a five-year term as lieutenant-governor. Knight of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem; presented with the Order of Canada in 1984, and the Order of British Columbia in 1990 (Oct 02)

• Flight Sergeant Gordon MacKenzie, DFM has died aged 83 Awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal for his actions on the night of July 28, 1942, when he landed a crippled Second World War bomber after ignoring an order to parachute out. His medal was presented to him at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace in February, 1943. "By his courage and skillful handling of his aircraft," the citation stated, "he saved a valuable aircraft and was largely responsible for the safe descent by parachute of his captain and crew." (Oct 02)

• Flight Sergeant Gordon MacKenzie, DFM has died aged 83 Awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal for his actions on the night of July 28, 1942, when he landed a crippled Second World War bomber after ignoring an order to parachute out. His medal was presented to him at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace in February, 1943. "By his courage and skillful handling of his aircraft," the citation stated, "he saved a valuable aircraft and was largely responsible for the safe descent by parachute of his captain and crew." (Oct 02)

• Last living soldier from Vimy Ridge dies at 103 Canada has lost its last living link to the infantry soldiers who climbed out of the trenches to bring the Allies victory at Vimy Ridge during the First World War. Charles Reaper, 103, of Winnipeg died Saturday just over a month shy of the 86th anniversary of that decisive war victory in 1917. His death leaves only about a dozen surviving Canadian soldiers who fought in the First World War. Three of those were also at Vimy, but Reaper was the last infantry soldier. The Canadian Press More - New law will declare April 9 Vimy Ridge Day

• Colonel Tony White, DFC has died aged 77 Bomber navigator who won the Distinguished Flying Cross for continuing an attack after suffering a serious chest wound. White was navigator for a bombing attack on an enemy-held railway bridge in Burma when his Liberator was struck by Japanese anti-aircraft fire. Bleeding heavily from the chest, the pilot officer refused to abandon his post and led the bomber to its target. He then guided the Liberator back to its base at Digri in West Bengal, fainting twice. (Dec 02)

• Canadian World War I air ace William S. Lighthall DFC - Newly published book. I've not read the book, but for those interested in such matters, here is where you can obtain additional information (Oct 02)

• Acting/Bombadier G.A. McKay, MM

• Vice-Admiral Harry George DeWolf, OBE, DSC has died aged 97  

  • Saying goodbye to a true hero (Canada's most-decorated sailor of WW2 Vice-Admiral Harry DeWolf. Awarded Distinguished Service Order and the Distinguished Service Cross. He was also made a commander of the Order of the British Empire, and a member of the United States Legion of Merit. France conferred on him the Cross of the Legion of Honour and Norway awarded him the King Haakon VII Cross of Liberation) (Sep 01) 

• Lucky veteran gets 13th medal (Squadron Leader Andy MacKenzie, DFC) (Photo)

• Major-General George R Pearkes, VC, DSO MC

• Wing Commander Danny Walker, DFC and Bar has died aged 83 (Navigator in the Dambusters' attack on the Mohne and Eder dams in the Ruhr valley) (Dec 01)

• William Poy, MM has died aged 94 (Father of Governor-General Adrienne Clarkson and retired Toronto plastic surgeon. Awarded MM in WWII fought in the battle to defend Hong Kong against the Japanese) (Jan 02)

• Capt. Fletcher Vaughan Taylor, DFC, has died aged 81

• Commander St. Clair Balfour, DSC has died aged 92 (Mr. Balfour was first and foremost a newspaperman.  won the Distinguished Service Cross for commanding a squadron of frigates and corvettes that hunted down U-boats. He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1988) More (May 02)

• Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Sloan Lucas, MC has died aged 87 On Aug. 14, 1944, in France, Captain Robert Lucas's tank was blown up. His regiment was surrounded and outnumbered by the German army. Facing almost certain annihilation he walked out to meet the enemy alone and unarmed to demand that they surrender. They declined. In the bloody battle that followed, one of the first things to take a hit was Captain Lucas's head, an injury that required months of recuperation. The Nazis were routed that day, most of Robert's comrades survived and he was awarded the Military Cross for his actions. (Nov 02)

Canadian History/Genealogy Links

• Established by Royal Charter in 1917, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission pays tribute to the 1,700,000 men and women of the Commonwealth forces who died in the two world wars. It is a non-profit-making organisation that was founded by Sir Fabian Ware. Search the CWGC Database

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• Search the database

• Canadian Genealogy and History Links

• Canadian Genealogy and History Links - Military

• History of Women in the Canadian Military Published National Defence

• Purina Animal Hall of Fame - 32 Years of Pet Heroes – Complete list of Winners

• Military History - This Canadian site offers a handy timeline of military history worldwide in addition to access to military history information by period, subject, and wars)  

• Ceremonial and Protocol Guide - Chapter 2 RCMP Website

• Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's) Research Resources (U. of Victoria):

  • An Inventory of theCanadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's) Regimental Records
  • An Inventory of the Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's) photographs collection
  • An Inventory of the Canadian Scottish Regimental Museum Records [WW II]
  • An Inventory the 16th Battalion (Canadian Scottish) of Records [WW I]
  • An Inventory of personal records associated with the Canadian Scottish Regiment and 16th Battalion
• Inventory of The Brown Collection of Orders, Decorations, and Medals (U. of Victoria)

• Bill C-415 - The purpose of this enactment is to allow relatives of deceased veterans to wear, on Remembrance Day, at a public function or ceremony commemorating veterans or in a circumstance prescribed by Cabinet, any order, decoration or medal listed in the Canadian Orders, Decorations and Medals Directive of October 25, 1990 that is awarded to such veterans for war services, without facing criminal sanctions. (Dec 1999) (NOTE: Can anyone tell me if this Bill has been passed?)  

• The Royal Canadian Engineers and Canadian Military Engineers (Including, Canadian Engineers, Canadian Infantry Works Companies, Canadian Railway Troops and the Canadian Forestry Corps) Canadian Pioneer Battalions (Great War Period) LCol Edward De Santis

• Canada during WWII)

• Mitel Founder honour enrages Canada (Jun 01)

• The National Military Cemetary of the Canadian Forces

• Legion of Frontiersmen Medals  Focused on New Zealand, but also contains information on the medals of Australia, Canada, Belgium, and the United Kingdom (Ref: Mike Smith)

• Gulf War medals sit in Ottawa for 9 years Jul 01  

• Edward Harlow has died aged 102  HMCS Niobe  Mont Blanc (Served in the Royal Canadian Navy during World War I. He never saw combat, but he was a survivor of the huge ammunition ship explosion in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1917, a disaster that killed 1,500 people and injured nearly 2,000 more. He served as a chief petty officer aboard Niobe, an armored cruiser that served as a depot ship. He was aboard when an ammunition ship exploded, practically leveling Halifax) (Sep 02)

• Aboriginal soldiers showed gallantry during war years (Saskatchewan's most decorated aboriginal soldier, George Terry - Order of Canada, awarded in 1997, the 1939-45 star, Italy Star, France & Germany Star, Defence Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal, War Medal 1939-45, Special Service Medal, United Nations Emergency Force Medal, Canada 125 Medal, Canadian Forces Decoration, Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal and a NATO Medal) 

• Military History Society of Manitoba (Information on military history with special emphasis on Manitoba units and their activities)

• Excerpt from: Marching as to War: Canada's Turbulent Years 1899-1953 (Marching as to War: Canada's Turbulent Years 1899-1953 by Pierre Berton. Published by Doubleday Canada. Copyright 2001 Pierre Berton Enterprises Ltd. All rights reserved. The veteran author chronicles the Last Hundred Days, in which Canadians were chosen to lead the Allied advance)

• Canada's forgotten code-talkers - When Windtalkers explodes onto the big screen in a lavish Hollywood display of war gore and battle courage, it will reveal with it the ingenuity of American forces in using the Navajo language as secret military code unbreakable even to the Japanese. But what will remain largely a secret -- or certainly a little-known fact -- is how American forces also recruited Cree soldiers serving in the Canadian military to help pass messages that helped ensure the success of bombing raids over Europe in the Second World War. More (Jun 02)

• More medals up for sale A family's decision to auction a Quebec war hero's medals prompted a retired general to call for the federal government to help families properly dispose of such battle honours. "There's going to be more and more of these cases, as World War II and Korean War veterans are going to be passing away," retired Maj.-Gen. Lewis MacKenzie said in an interview. Commenting on the pending sale in Montreal of late Brig.-Gen. Dollard Menard's medals, which include a Distinguished Service Order, one rank below the coveted Victoria Cross, he said any type of blanket protection for such awards "should come from the government." Billed as a collection honouring "Canada's most decorated soldier," the medals will be sold by Empire Auctions from Jan. 23-27. cnews.canoe.ca 12 Jan 04

• Honours and Awards Booklet (A-AD-200-000/JD-001) Download this new Booklet in pdf format

• France honours Canadian who helped to foil assassination A schoolteacher from Langley, B.C., has been inducted as a member of the Legion d'Honneur. The award, which is equivalent to a British knighthood, is France's highest honour. Mohamed Chelali was one of three people who stopped a man attempting to assassinate French President Jacques Chirac on Bastille Day last year. (Jan 03)

• B.C. teacher given France's highest honour for role in protecting president Mohamed Chelali (left) is presented with a medal by French Ambassador Philippee Guelluy, marking his induction as a member of the Legion d'Hounneur. Mohamed Chelali couldn't help but consider the symbolism on Friday night as he was awarded France's highest honour for his part in foiling an attempt on the life of the French president.The B.C. teacher was born in Algeria and later lived in France, where he experienced racism stemming from tensions between the two countries. canoe.ca 29 Nov 03

• Canadian War Museum Armoured Warrior Game Educational and quite interesting game. Give it a try!

   
• Medal to Return to War Museum A Victoria Cross from the First World War that was missing for nearly 30 years before turning up at an auction two months ago will likely be returned to the War Museum in the next 10 days. RCMP said they are close to completing their investigation into the medal's disappearance and expect to return it to the museum soon. "It doesn't look like we're going to lay charges," said RCMP Const. Nathalie Deschenes, adding the passage of time has made it tough for investigators to trace how the medal disappeared from the museum. "As best as anyone can tell, it appears the medal went missing sometime in 1977. It wasn't reported missing until 23 years later in 2000 before being located in April at a London auction. There is kind of a big gap of time there." Deschenes said it appears the person who had put the medal up for auction had purchased it for about $20 at a flea market and the auction house voluntarily relinquished any claim to the medal. The medal is believed to be that of Sgt. Filip Konowal, a Ukrainian-Canadian who lived in Ottawa and received the Commonwealth's highest honour for bravery in 1917 while serving with the 47th Canadian Infantry Battalion. After the war, then-prime minister William Lyon Mackenzie King discovered Konowal working as a House of Commons janitor and immediately named him special custodian for the Prime Minister's Office. canoe.ca 9 Jun 04

• Awards to Canadians List of foreign awards to Canadians and approved for wear. Government House - Canada Gazette Vol. 138, No. 31 — July 31, 2004

• Former PQ minister honoured by France A former Parti Québécois cabinet minister will be appointed this fall to the rank of Commander in France's Legion of Honour. Louise Beaudoin, 58, called the award a tribute to her efforts to bring Quebec and France closer together. Ms. Beaudoin held a variety of ministerial posts in the PQ government including Intergovernmental Affairs from 1994 to 1996 and Culture and Communications from 1995 to 1998. She was also the minister responsible for the French Language Charter from 1995 to 2001. Other Canadian's who have received the prize include former Quebec premier Lucien Bouchard and astrophysicist Hubert Reeves. theglobeandmail.com 1 Aug 04

• Local man named to Legion of Honour War veteran Bill Neil says he realized shortly after his arm was blown off during the 1944 Normandy campaign that he had gotten off lucky. "I saw many, many more that were worse off than I was, (so) it didn't bother me that much, really. Last weekend at a ceremony in Calgary, Neil was honoured by the government of France for his valour during the Second World War. He and 30 other soldiers across the country were named Knights of the Order of the Legion of Honour. canoe.ca 10 Jun 04

• France to honour producers of celebrated film Barbarian Invasions The French government is bestowing an important cultural honour on the producers of The Barbarian Invasions, adding yet another accolade to a long list of prizes for what's come to be known as Canada's most celebrated film. Quebec filmmakers Denise Robert and Daniel Louis will be granted the rank of the Chevalier de l'Ordre des arts et des Lettres - or the Order of Arts and Letters - at a ceremony to be held Thursday at the French Embassy in Ottawa. "It's a great award," Olivier Roy of the Embassy of France said from Ottawa. "It is given to people that achieve great things for French culture or for France. It has to be something remarkable." cjad.com 22 Sep 04

• Celine Dion awarded French “Medaille des arts et des lettres”

• Legion of Honour presented to Ben Weider – Mr. Weider has been honoured with the French Legion of Honour for his theory of how Napoleon was killed. He believes the general did not die of stomach cancer, but was poisoned. Here is a partial list of other Canadian recipients of France’s Legion of Honour, created in 1802 by Napolean: (Ref: The Globe and mail, 12 Oct 00)
  • John Amagoalik, long-time Inuit leader
  • Lise Bissonnette, former editor of Le Devoir
  • Robert Bourassa, former Liberal premier of Quebec
  • Celine Dion, singer
  • Anne Hebert, author
  • Rene Levesque – Former Parti Quebecois premier
  • John Pattison, senior vice-president for compliance at Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
  • Jean-Paul Riopelle, painter
  • Gilles Vigneault, singer  

• Westmounter awarded medal by French government - René Le Clère has received a prestigious award from the Government of France, the Médaille de la reconnaissance de la nation. A journalist and attaché for a range of organizations over the years, Le Clère is currently an advisor for an education foundation, the Fondation Paul Gérin-Lajoie, created by the former Quebec Liberal cabinet minister. He had been decorated six times previously by the French government for his military service.(Sep 02)

  Hardy to the rescue -  Col. Rick Hardy amassed an impressive record of search and rescue (SAR) missions as a pilot with the Canadian military from 1978 to 1996. During his tour with the United States Coast Guard flying the HH-3F Pelican helicopter, Hardy twice received the United States Air Medal for meritorious SAR missions. The second Air Medal, awarded for the rescue of 37 Russian sailors from their freighter floundering in a severe Atlantic Ocean storm, was presented to Hardy at the White House by President Ronald Reagan in March 1987.  Bio  (Ref: canada.com) (Jul 02)

• Hardy to the rescue -  Col. Rick Hardy amassed an impressive record of search and rescue (SAR) missions as a pilot with the Canadian military from 1978 to 1996. During his tour with the United States Coast Guard flying the HH-3F Pelican helicopter, Hardy twice received the United States Air Medal for meritorious SAR missions. The second Air Medal, awarded for the rescue of 37 Russian sailors from their freighter floundering in a severe Atlantic Ocean storm, was presented to Hardy at the White House by President Ronald Reagan in March 1987.  Bio  (Ref: canada.com) (Jul 02)

• Nunavut awards NB man for bravery A retired RCMP officer from Wakefield, New Brunswick has been recognized for his role in an Arctic rescue nearly 50 years ago. Len O'Halloran was in Rankin Inlet Thursday night to receive an award for bravery from the Commissioner of Nunavut for saving the lives of four people. O'Halloran was stationed in Canada's Arctic in February 1958 when he and an Inuit colleague came across a plane that had crashed into Hudson's Bay. nb.cbc.ca 20 Nov 03

• Where is Canada's Polar Medal? The establishment of the Governor-General's Northern Medal by Adrienne Clarkson is a lovely gesture, one that will serve to perpetuate the emphasis Mme. Clarkson placed during her term of office on Canada's North. At a speech several years ago to the Canadian Club in Ottawa, Mme. Clarkson said that we should "glory" in the North, and the announcement made by Rideau Hall will in a small way help to do just that. However, it is no substitute for a Canadian Polar Medal, which should be instituted as part of Canada's national honours system. The United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Australia both have Polar Medals as part of their honours systems. There is a great historical tradition behind it. A Polar Medal, by contrast, could be awarded more broadly to deserving Canadians, and for a wider variety of contributions, not only to those who have contributed to the geographic exploration of the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions of Canada, or for contributions to scientific and social scientific endeavour in the North, but for its economic development, and exceptional cultural contributions. What better way to honour Mme. Clarkson's contribution, and the forthcoming International Polar Year, than to give Canadians their own Polar Medal. canada.com 17 Sep 05

• U.S. honours Annapolis Valley war hero - Harold McDonald, who has lived in Beaconsfield, Annapolis County, since retiring almost 20 years ago, was recently awarded five medals by the U.S. government, including the Bronze Star. (Jul 02)

• Cop gets US Medal (A Waterloo police officer has been recognized as a North American hero after he saved a 5-year-old boy from a burning house in Cambridge. Sgt. Dave Shaw of the Waterloo regional police was awarded the Carnegie Medal from the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission) (Mar 02)

• Redcoats A chronicle of the Canadian Armed Forces during the Victorian era, in peace and war

• Canada - Ready to respond to acts of terror  (MGen Eric Findley Findley was "in the chair" -- director of combat operations for the North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) -- when the call came in to Cheyenne on 9/11. He will receive the MSC on Sep 27 (Sep 02)

• Scouts honour a courageous brother's keeper Donating his bone marrow and saving his brother's life has earned Sean Jaworski Scouts Canada's most prestigious award. And his 15-year-old brother, Brent Jaworski, 15, will also be honoured by Scouts Canada at a ceremony Nov. 15 in Ottawa. Gov. Gen. Adrienne Clarkson will give the Elmira boys their medals. Wakutz said the brothers are the first people from Elmira to receive this top scouting honour. Brent will receive a medal for the courage he showed in dealing with his illness. (Nov 02)

• General does the honours as local airborne veterans receive ... It was standing room only at the January meeting of the Canadian Airborne Forces Association - Huronia branch. Members were joined by a large gathering of relatives and friends who were present to witness an historic presentation of medals to five branch members. (Feb 03)

• N.S. veterans to receive special plates  Photo More (Nov 02)

• Former premier's wife earns bravery medal Beckie Harcourt is getting a medal for saving the life of her husband -- former premier of British Columbia Mike Harcourt. The Lifesaving Society, which trains lifeguards, is giving her the society's silver medal for bravery for what she did. Vancouver Sun, Canada - 26 Mar 2003

• Heroism on Verrières Ridge  More Ten years after the CBC broadcast of his award-winning The Valour and the Horror, arguably Canada's most controversial documentary series, filmmaker Brian McKenna reveals aspects of one little-known heroic story -- and its cover-up -- that got lost in the tumult. (Nov 02)

• The Memorial Cross sold for $70,000 Cdn!!! Banting medal sought for London A group of London, Ontario leaders is urging the public to help bring home Sir Frederick Banting's last medal. London Public Library chief executive Darrel Skidmore and Stevenson and Hunt Insurance president Ed Holder are spearheading a campaign to buy the Canadian Memorial Cross awarded upon the death of the discoverer of insulin and Canada's first Nobel Prize winner. Banting's Canadian Memorial Cross is up for sale through Jeffrey Hoare Auctions Inc. of London. It is to be sold May 25 in Hamilton. In February 1941, Banting set out from Gander, Nfld., on an urgent flight to England to share research with scientists there. But his plane crashed and Banting was killed. By the time he died, Banting was Canada's best-known and perhaps best-loved scientist for co-discovering insulin and giving hope to millions of diabetics. The value of Banting's memorial cross is estimated at $2,500, but previous war medals of noted Canadians have been sold for 20 to 40 times their estimated value. London Free Press, Canada May 03 Banting medal put on block The last medal awarded to Canada's first Nobel Prize winner and a co-discoverer of insulin is up for grabs.London Free Press, Canada - 10 May 2003

• James Fraser has died aged 104  Mr. Fraser was one of 13 veterans of the First World War still alive this past Remembrance Day. Each of the 13 was profiled in a special report last month in The Globe and Mail. A remarkable photograph of Mr. Fraser's papery, 103-year-old hands cradling a picture of himself as a teenaged soldier graced the front of the special report and stirred emotions across the country. More  More (Dec 02)

• Friendly fire victims awarded US medal The U.S. Army has approved awarding the Bronze Star medal to the four Canadians killed by a U.S. bomb last year in Afghanistan. Killed in the incident were Sgt. Marc Leger of Lancaster, Ont., and Cpl. Ainsworth Dyer of Montreal, Pte. Nathan Smith of Ostrea Lake, N.S., and Pte. Ricky Green of Mill Cove, N.S. The Bronze Star is normally awarded for heroism or meritorious service. The Globe and Mail, Canada - 24 Feb 2003 McCallum welcomes news of US medals for Canadian victims of ... Canoe News, Canada - 25 Feb 2003 US awards medals to four fallen Canadians Canada.com, Canada - 25 Feb 2003

• RCAF Station Grostenquin (France) A wealth of information on 1 Air Division in France, Metz, former Commanding Officers and decorations, etc. Feb 04

• Arcand to receive France's highest cultural honour Quebec filmmaker Denys Arcand, whose film The Barbarian Invasions is up for two Oscars, will receive France's highest cultural honour. Arcand will be named a commander of the Ordre des arts et des lettres. The Globe and Mail 19 Feb 04

• Canadian Decorations and Medals (Ribbon Chart) (Lucas Gaszewski)

• Ribbons of Canada (Eric Bush) (Sep 02)

• Local Vets happy with licence plate decision Local veterans and Royal Canadian Legion officials are applauding the province's quick change of heart on a policy to create special veterans-only licence plates. Government Services Minister Dave Coutts announced Tuesday they would be minting the special plates after previously stalling on the idea. In February 2003, Nova Scotia issued a special licence plate for veterans. Ontario, Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Manitoba, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories have since followed suit. dailyhearldtribune.com Aug 04

• Nova Scotia MP wants war medal sales prohibited A Nova Scotia MP is planning on introducing a bill that would prohibit the sale of dead veterans' war medals to keep them from disappearing into the private collections of foreign bidders. Stoffer's move comes after Canadians raised $300,000 to keep a British collector from purchasing a Victoria Cross. He plans to introduce the bill in February. Although there is already a law in place preventing surviving veterans from selling their war treasures, families are permitted to do what they please with inherited medals. Stoffer says his initiative would bring more medals to museums and schools and keep them out of the flea markets and websites that the collectors frequent. ctv.ca 22 Dec 04

   
• Man who fought off bear with knife awarded Carnegie Medal A Canadian man was awarded a Carnegie Medal for an act seemingly pulled straight from the tall tales of the American frontier. Dr. Eric Fortier, 34, used a pocket knife to attack a polar bear on Canada's Baffin Island, just south of the Arctic Circle, to save two friends who were being mauled. Herald Tribune 22 Dec 03

• In January 2000, the Metro Toronto Branch of The Aircrew Association had 283 members. Their wartime experiences are of lasting historical value; well-suited to recording and distribution by means of the World Wide Web. A wealth of information, including photos and medals awarded with citations. Jan 04

• Canadian Reservists awarded US Army Achievement Medal - The 152nd Field Artillery (Maine National Guard) came to Canadian Forces Base Gagetown in New Brunswick to train in the summer of 2003. Apparently they were without OP parties, so their Commanding Officer (CO) contacted the CO of 3rd Field Regt RCA (The Loyal Company) and four members  of that unit headed off to Gagetown for ten days. Major Dave Boudreau, Captain Mike Bamford, and Sergeants Ron Wilson and Mason did a super job and as a result on the November parade were awarded the Achievement Medals, complete with the usual US award cases, citations done up in green binders. Apparently the government has not given permission for them to wear the gongs. Ref: e-mail Terry McCormick Jan 04

• U.S. medal given to Canadian officer When LCdr Matt Plaschka walked into the Chief and Petty Officers’ mess June 19 to socialize with members of the John C. Stennis Carrier Battle Group, he never expected to leave with a U.S. naval medal. But as RAdm Patrick Walsh, Commander of the Strike Group, wrapped up his speech to those gathered in the lounge, he called LCdr Plaschka to the stage. Reading from the citation, he outlined the Canadian naval officer’s outstanding meritorious service as Tactical Exercise Officer while serving on the Staff of Commander Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor from 2002 to 2003. lookoutnewspaper.com Jul 04

• United States to honour Canadian soldiers On May 5, the American government announced the awarding of the Combat Infantry Badge to Canadian soliders who were in combat as members of the First Special Service Force (Devil's Brigade) during the Second World War. Any Canadian member or relative of a member who qualifies should apply for the medal by contacting Charles W. Mann (4-3), 850 Huron Terrace, Kincardine, Ont., N2Z 2Y1 or calling 1-519-396-2774. stoneycreeknews.com 8 Jul 05

  • Award honours Butler for Devil's Brigade United States Combat Infantryman's Badge has been denied Canadians who fought alongside their US allies in Italy and Germany. Next month a Powell River resident will receive a long-overdue medal honouring his service in a combined Canadian-American World War II legendary fighting unit. But Bruce Butler, with five pieces of shrapnel lodged in his stomach, doesn't need a medal to remind him of his service to his country. Born in 1919 and a Powell River resident since he was five, Bruce, then a Canadian soldier, volunteered to join the First Special Service Force in Italy. An elite commando unit, the force had been organized by the United States Army to raid strategic positions, often by parachuting behind enemy lines. zwire.com 13 Jul 05
    

• Ribbon Checker for Canada - Lukasz Gasewski from Poland has developed a Ribbon Checker for Canada which displays the ribbons of both current national and provincial Canadian awards, as well as the British ones conferred to Canadians prior to 1972. He has removed all errors, but realizes that he may have omitted some. Any comments and corrections will be welcomed by email. Checkers for UK and other Commonwealth countries are on the way. Pictured to the left is my current ribbon bar. Lukasz Gaszewski Dec 04

• New quarter honouring veterans loses shine The paint on the Royal Canadian Mint's new quarter is easily scratched off. The mint's new coin contains a painted red poppy on engraved maple leaves, a recognition of Canada's war veterans. The mint says problems were anticipated, and under normal usage, the quarters should keep their colour for up to three years. The coin was formally released in Winnipeg on Thursday while the Tim Hortons doughnut chain and Royal Canadian Legion halls are handing it out in change across the country. cbc/ca 21 Oct 04

• Thieves steal war medals and weapon Calgary man is heartbroken after thieves broke into his home and took his late father's military medals. Stephen Young's father left him the medals and a German gun from World War I. Young is now letting museums and collectors know that the items are stolen. "Dad snuck up behind him [a German soldier] and told him to reach for the sky," says Young. "He took the sidearm off this officer and marched him to a P.O.W. camp." Anyone with any information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 CFCN, Canada - 21 Jul 2003

• 1814 Medal given to Native Chief to be Auctioned If it hadn't been for a treasure hunter scanning a muddy Detroit River bank with a metal detector, a rare medal believed to date to the War of 1812 may have been lost forever. The medal's history is difficult to trace because of how it was found, experts at Bonhams auctioneers in London believe the silver medallion minted for a Canadian First Nations chief is a rare find. The medal - which depicts George III facing to the right on one side and the Royal coat of arms, crest, supporters and motto on the other - has been valued by Bonhams at 3,500 to 4,000 pounds ($8,600 to $9,800 Cdn). It goes on sale Feb. 24. cnews 16 Feb 04 Canadian wins bidding battle for medal Calgary collector paid more than $9,000 Canadian for a medal believed to be from the War of 1812. cnews 24 Feb 04

• BILL C-514 - An Act respecting the establishment and award of a Special Service Medal for Domestic Operations (SSM-DO) First reading, April 2, 2004. I've been informed that when the Canadian election was called that the bill died. However, the bill was retabled on 22 Mar 05 by Alexa McDounagh, MP for Halifax. 22 Mar 05

• MP targets medal traffickers A Nova Scotia MP is asking Parliament to ban the sale of service medals awarded by the Canadian government to soldiers and RCMP officers. NDP MP Peter Stoffer has tabled a bill in the Commons that forbids the sale, trade or bartering of any medals awarded by the Canadian government and worn over the heart. "I find it very distasteful when I find medals sold at flea markets," Stoffer said in an interview, adding he's also offended when medals are put up for auction. "You don't want the medals to be trashed or gone." Stoffer said recent campaigns mounted to keep them out of the hands of collectors moved him to draft the legislation, which forbids the trafficking of medals awarded by the Canadian government recognizing the service of soldiers and RCMP officers. "Most of the veterans I've spoken to are very supportive," he said. In March, Sun readers helped raise $300,000 to buy the Victoria Cross from relatives of paratrooper Fred Topham's late wife. The campaign was launched to keep collectors at home and abroad from buying them. Stoffer said he was unable to extend his legislation to cover the Victoria Cross or any other medal awarded by a foreign government. The VC is awarded by Britain. But Stoffer said the bill will ensure Canadian medals stay in the veterans' families or are given a place of honour in city halls and museums. "What we anticipate is children and grandchildren will honour these medals," he said. "The vets earned them for honour ... not as a cash transaction." Stoffer's bill has been put in a Commons' queue of private members' legislation and will be brought forward for debate and a vote when his name is picked out of a lottery. Stoffer pointed out that the Liberal government could easily adopt the bill as its own and lead the charge to forbid the sale of medals. canoe.ca 25 Jun 05 Copy of Bill C-415 - Sale of Medals Prohibition Act.

• Canada honours winners of top U.S. medal Ambassador Frank McKenna and military attaché Rear Admiral Ian Mack honoured nine Canadians buried in Arlington National Cemetery. The nine were among the 61 Canadians who have won the Congressional Medal of Honor, more than half of them during the U.S. Civil War (1861-65) and only four since 1900. The nine include Martin Thomas McMahon of La Prairie, Que., the first Canadian to win the Medal of Honor. He was serving with the U.S. Volunteers at White Oak Swamp, Va., in 1862. The most recent award was given to Charles MacGillivary from Charlottetown, who was cited for fighting Germans in France in 1945. Among other Canadian winners, Robert Sweeney, a sailor from Montreal, won it twice (1881 and 1883) and two brothers from Noel Shore, N.S., Harry and Willard Miller, won it serving on a U.S. ship in Cuba on May 11, 1898. The most recent award to a Canadian went to Peter Lemon of Toronto for action in Vietnam in 1970. Five Americans have won the Victoria Cross. Four of them were serving with Canadian units, during the First World War.  cbc.ca 1 Jul 05

   

• U.S. Marine Corps veteran wants medals for Mounties A Vietnam veteran who gave his Purple Heart medal to the family of a Mountie slain in Mayerthorpe wants to do the same for the families of the three other fallen officers. Wave Reynar, 61, presented one of the medals he received for shedding blood in battle to the family of Brock Myrol at the memorial service held for Myrol and the three other RCMP officers gunned down near Mayerthorpe in March. He said his only regret was not having an additional three Purple Hearts for the families of Peter Schiemann, Leo Johnston and Anthony Gordon, and plans to rectify the situation. edmontonsun.com 30 Jun 05

• Crew of stricken sub honoured for bravery The crew of the stricken submarine HMCS Chicoutimi is being honoured for their bravery in fighting a fire aboard their vessel more than a year ago. The 56 crew members were awarded the Canadian Forces' Unit Commendation by Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Rick Hillier. thestar.com 25 Nov 05

• Raymond Lévesque, récompensé par la Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste! Québec Singer Raymond Lévesque has been awarded the Bene Merenti de Patria medal. Article in French tqs.ca 23 Nov 05

• France honours New Brunswick professor Thierry Chopin, professor of marine biology at UNBSJ, and a key speaker at the recent Aquaculture Today 2006 conference in Edinburgh, was inducted as Chevalier in the Order of the Palmes Academiques.  Dr Chopin has been working to create an integrated aquaculture ecosystem and is partnering with Cooke Aquaculture Inc. and Acadian Seaplants Ltd., to scale up production at several Back Bay sites, growing mussels and seaweeds on floating rafts alongside farmed salmon. fishupdate.com 12 Apr 06

• Medal of freedom for Knudsen Arne Knudsen, the World War II veteran described his adventures as the founder of North Delta’s first volunteer fire department at a special meeting of Delta Council where he became the second person to receive the Delta Municipal Medal of Freedom. Born in Denmark, Knudsen emigrated to Canada in 1929. He is the oldest surviving Canadian to have fought in the Spanish Civil War as part of the “Mac-Paps” or Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion. More than 1,500 Canadians volunteered in the war from 1936 to 1939, fighting against Franco, Hitler and Mussolini. For decades, their service remained unrecognized by the Canadian government until a memorial was finally unveiled in 2001. Knudsen was one of just three surviving Canadian veterans able to attend the ceremony in Ottawa. He also fought in Italy during the Second World War, suffering injuries that plague him to the present day. He was awarded a U.S. Bronze Star for rescuing a group of Rangers while under enemy fire. The Freedom Award recognizes “very exceptional cases of merit for an individual who has brought recognition to the respective community through his or her achievements.” Knudsen is only the second person to win the honour. The first, in 2004, was South Delta’s Edgar Dunning. surreyleader.com 31 May 06

   
• Chretien's former chef wins high honour from France Former prime minister, Jean Chretien  made a rare public appearance at the French Embassy where his former chef -- now the culinary master at the embassy -- received a high French honour. French Ambassador Daniel Jouanneau awarded Jose Moniz the "knight of the national order of agricultural merit," one of five national medals the French government awards, and a sought-after distinction among chefs and restaurateurs. As Mr. Jouanneau recounted the life of Mr. Moniz, including how his Portuguese farmer father moved the family here when Mr. Moniz was five, Mr. Chretien listened intently. And after Mr. Jouanneau used "every adjective in the French dictionary to laud Mr. Moniz," Mr. Chretien said he could only find one fault with his former chef: "He tried to make me fat," the former prime minister said. "And also Aline. The quality of the food was superb." It's obvious Mr. Moniz and Mr. Chretien had a close relationship. The former prime minister also said he would often come home after a "miserable day" and Mr. Moniz's good humour and impressive cooking would soon make him forget the day's events and prepare him to tackle more misery the next day. canada.com 1 Jun 06

• Military Collector's Club of Canada - Founded in 1963 to serve as the focal point for Canadian Collectors of just about anything Militaria related. It has grown into an organization of approximately 1000 members in Canada, USA and Overseas, ( making it an International Club). The Club Publishes a high quality journal on a quarterly basis.

• British Columbia Chapter

• Canada - Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary Heroism Medal Awarded in recognition of extreme sill in performing an assist or rescue that involves risk to life. This award recognizes heroism in the face of grave personal risk and which clearly stand out as above normal expectations. This is a new medal to me. The Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary has also established the following medals: Exemplary Service Medal, Leadership Medal, Operational Merit Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, and Administrative Excellence Medal. All of the medals are the same, the only difference is in the ribbons. Download full details: National Awards Program (PDF file - may take sometime to download)