Bravery Decorations
Decorations for Bravery recognize people who risked their lives to try to save or protect another. The Decorations were created by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1972. The Governor General personally presents the Decorations in ceremonies held at Rideau Hall, in Ottawa, or at La Citadelle, in Québec City. They consist of the Cross of Valour, the Star of Courage and the Medal of Bravery.
Bravery Decorations - Star of Courage - Cyprus 1974
Awarded for acts of conspicuous courage in circumstances of great peril.
Capitain ALAIN ROBERT PIERRE JOSEPH FORAND, C.M.M., S.C., M.S.C., C.D., Montreal, Quebec
Star of Courage, Date of Presentation: April 3, 1975
On July 23, 1974, during the war in Cyprus, a Canadian patrol conducting a group of combatants out of a UN controlled area came under fire. Several combatant soldiers were killed or wounded and the Canadian officer leading the escort party was wounded. One of his men who began to render first aid to the fallen officer was also hit. At the bottom of a creek bed, the victims were exposed to continuing machine gun fire. Coming on the scene, Alain Forand arranged for covering fire and, with complete disregard for his own safety, he crawled forward over the exposed ground, to aid the two casualties. Single-handedly, he managed to drag the wounded officer some distance up onto the bank of the creek where others helped carry him out of the danger area. Forand then directed the rescue of the wounded soldier.
Pte. JOSEPH MICHEL PLOUFFE, S.C., Edmonton, Alberta
Star of Courage, Date of Presentation: April 3, 1975
On July 23, 1974, during the war in Cyprus, a Canadian patrol conducting a group of combatants out of a UN controlled area came under fire. Some combatant soldiers were killed and others wounded and the Canadian officer commanding the patrol was wounded. Pte Joseph Plouffe, a member of the escort party, went at once to the aid of the fallen officer. Moments later he sustained a bullet wound in the face but despite this injury, he continued to render first aid in complete disregard of the peril to his own life.
Bravery Decorations - Medal of Bravery - Cyprus 1974
Awarded for acts of bravery in hazardous circumstances.
Private JOSEPH MIKE BELLEY, M.B., Quebec
Medal of Bravery, Date of Presentation: April 3, 1975
On July 23, 1974, during the war in Cyprus, a Canadian patrol, conducting a group of combatants out of a UN controlled area, came under fire. Some combatant soldiers were killed and others wounded and the Canadian officer leading the patrol sustained wounds. One of his men who began to render first aid to the fallen officer was also hit. At the bottom of a creek bed, the victims were exposed to continuing machine gun fire. Corporal Whelan and Privates Belley and Pelletier volunteered to join a rescue party. In these hazardous circumstances, they assisted in carrying the wounded officer out of the danger area. Privates Belley and Pelletier then returned, scrambled down to the creek bed, and lifted and brought the other wounded man to safety.
Capitain JOSEPH NORMAND BLAQUIERE, M.B., Lancaster Park, Alberta
Medal of Bravery, Date of Presentation: April 3, 1975
In July, 1974, when the conflict on Cyprus was most intense, Cpt. Blaquière was constantly at the scene of the heaviest firing, establishing the UN presence and attempting to restore peace. On July 15, when the tank fire was falling in the Turkish enclave, he drew his UN jeep across the tank's line of fire and effectively prevented further destruction and possible loss of life. On July 23, he organized the evacuation of a number of combatant troops who had moved into the UN compound and thus prevented an exchange of fire which would undoubtedly have resulted in casualties among the Canadian contingent. In the course of the evacuation the group came under machine gun fire and several of the combatants were killed and wounded. During this perilous action, Cpt. Blaquière sustained wounds.
Pte. JOSEPH MICHEL GINGRAS, M.B., Quebec
Medal of Bravery, Date of Presentation: April 3, 1975
Corporal JOSEPH FERNAND ROBERT CLAUDE GRATTON, M.B., C.D., St-Émile, Quebec
Medal of Bravery, Date of Presentation: February 16, 1976
On July 20, 1974, during the war in Cyprus, Cpl Gratton and Pte Gingras were members of a reconnaissance patrol making their way through a narrow street in the old part of Nicosia when they came under sniper fire. One soldier was hit and fell to the ground. In disregard of their own safety, Cpl Gratton and Pte Gingras went at once to the aid of their comrade and in the face of continuing rifle fire, they succeeded in carrying the wounded man some considerable distance to the safety of the platoon position.
Colonel GUY H. LESSARD, M.B., C.D., Edmonton, Alberta
Medal of Bravery, Date of Presentation: April 3, 1975
On August 17, 1974, Col. Guy Lessard with another Canadian officer was attempting to gain the cooperation and withdrawal of two groups of the belligerents situated at opposite ends of a street in Nicosia. While they were thus engaged, a truck driven by a Turkish Cypriot civilian entered the area. The driver was forced from his vehicle and his life threatened. In this tense and hazardous situation, Col. Lessard immediately placed himself in front of the man and shielded him until a military vehicle was brought up into which the man climbed and was removed from danger. Col. Lessard's conduct in the face of the combatant soldiers was a prime factor in restoring calm.
Pte. JOSEPH GILLES PELLETIER, M.B., Cyprus
Medal of Bravery, Date of Presentation: April 3, 1975
On July 23, 1974, during the war in Cyprus, a Canadian patrol, conducting a group of combatants out of a UN controlled area, came under fire. Some combatant soldiers were killed and others wounded and the Canadian officer leading the patrol sustained wounds. One of his men who began to render first aid to the fallen officer was also hit. At the bottom of a creek bed, the victims were exposed to continuing machine gun fire. Corporal Whelan and Privates Belley and Pelletier volunteered to join a rescue party. In these hazardous circumstances, they assisted in carrying the wounded officer out of the danger area. Privates Belley and Pelletier then returned, scrambled down to the creek bed, and lifted and brought the other wounded man to safety.
Corporal JOSEPH ROLAND MICHEL WHELAN, M.B., Edmonton, Alberta
Medal of Bravery, Date of Presentation: April 3, 1975
On July 23, 1974, during the war in Cyprus, a Canadian patrol, conducting a group of combatants out of a UN controlled area, came under fire. Some combatant soldiers were killed and others wounded and the Canadian officer leading the patrol sustained wounds. One of his men who began to render first aid to the fallen officer was also hit. At the bottom of a creek bed, the victims were exposed to continuing machine gun fire. Corporal Whelan and Privates Belley and Pelletier volunteered to join a rescue party. In these hazardous circumstances, they assisted in carrying the wounded officer out of the danger area. Privates Belley and Pelletier then returned, scrambled down to the creek bed, and lifted and brought the other wounded man to safety.
Bravery Decorations - Star of Courage - After Cyprus 1974
Awarded for acts of conspicuous courage in circumstances of great peril.
Pte. Joseph Roger Chiasson, S.C., Caraquette, New Brunswick
Medal of Bravery, Date of Presentation: March 4, 1983
In the early hours of 20 April 1981, Pte. Roger Chiasson showed outstanding gallantry when on peacekeeping duty in Cyprus with the Canadian Airborne Regiment. While occupying an observation site, a depressed fellow soldier had left his post, entered a minefield between the Turkish and Greek positions, and approached the Turkish side. Pte. Chiasson at once informed his superiors. Then, well aware that the ground was seeded with live anti-personnel mines, and that beyond a certain point he would probably come under direct fire, he ventured into the minefield. In the dangerous minutes that followed he calmed his comrade and coerced him to return to the safety zone.
Bravery Decorations - Medal of Bravery - After Cyprus 1974
Awarded for acts of bravery in hazardous circumstances.
Warrant Officer EDGAR JAMES WEATHERBEE, M.B., C.D.
Medal of Bravery, Date of Presentation: March 9, 1979
On 30 October 1977, at Camp Borden, Ontario, WO Edgar Weatherbee of CFB Trenton saved a comrade from falling to his death. The two were taking part in a paratroop exercise from a Hercules aircraft. WO Weatherbee jumped from port side and the other man followed from starboard. The latter was drawn beneath the aircraft by the propeller blast and became entangled in WO Weatherbee's parachute, causing it to collapse. As they fell it became apparent that the man could only be freed if the other deployed his reserve parachute. They were thus separated, and WO Weatherbee managed to seize his companion and control his fall. The man made a soft landing but WO Weatherbee suffered a compressed vertebra and has been forbidden further parachute duty.
Sergeant DAVID RONALD PARIS, M.B., C.D.
Medal of Bravery, Date of Presentation: August 19, 1988
At five o'clock in the morning of November 14, 1986, a gas explosion destroyed half of a duplex at CFB Edmonton. The rubble, filled with escaping gas, caught fire and the flames spread rapidly to the remaining half of the building through the broken firewall. The occupants of the destroyed portion of the building were thrown sideways and down, dropping two stories onto the concrete basement floor of the other half of the duplex. Sgt. David Paris, a neighbour, was awakened by the blast. Running to the burning building he saw that the family living in the less-damaged side had escaped. Hearing screams inside he unhesitatingly entered the highly dangerous and unstable structure, finding a man and woman, dazed and disoriented, in the basement. He pushed the man up the basement steps, located the woman under some rubble and carried her to safety. Sgt. Paris then re-entered the building to look for the couple's two children, but was unable to find them and was driven out by smoke, flames and falling debris. Within minutes the entire structure was completely ablaze.
Corporal BRENT CHRISTOPHER ASHTON, M.B.,
Corporal ROBERT WELLINGTON FARQUHAR, M.B.,
Corporal DINO LEON SIMONE, M.B.,
M/Cpl PAUL DEAN SPRENGER, M.B.
Medal of Bravery, Date of Presentation: June 17, 1994
While off duty in Mogadishu, Somalia, on June 2, 1993, Cpl. Sprenger, then Ptes. Ashton, Farquhar and Simone, swam to the aid of a woman who was being attacked by a shark. Hearing screams from swimmers 500 metres from shore, Ptes. Ashton and Farquhar, followed by Pte. Simone and Cpl. Sprenger bringing an inner tube, swam out to the woman, whose leg had been torn off by a shark. Despite the danger of the blood-filled waters and the rolling surf, Pte. Farquhar attempted artificial respiration while the others managed to place the victim on the inner tube. Pte. Ashton removed his shirt, which Pte. Farquhar used as a tourniquet around the severed limb. The four soldiers brought the woman back to shore, continuing artificial respiration until a helicopter arrived. Unfortunately, their efforts to save the woman were not successful.
Corporal JOSEPH JACQUES MARIO CHARETTE, M.B., Petawawa, Ontario
Medal of Bravery, Date of Presentation: June 17, 1994
A medical assistant with the Canadian Airborne Regiment in Somalia, Cpl. Charette defused a violent demonstration of armed townspeople at the entrance to the Belet-Wen Hospital on February 17, 1993. Cpl. Charette was working alone when a crowd advanced towards the gates of the hospital. Shots were fired and a grenade exploded while Cpl. Charette called for back-up. Despite the growing chaos, Cpl. Charette continued to transmit situation reports while he screened and disarmed the demonstrators. His efforts prevented further destruction of the hospital and the possible deaths of many people.
Sergeant GREGORY WILLIAM JANES, M.B., C.D., Petawawa, Ontario
Medal of Bravery, Date of Presentation: May 17, 1996
On April 2, 1995, in Ottawa, Ontario, Sgt Janes broke up a vicious knife attack. Hearing a cry for help in the hallway outside his apartment, he rushed out to find a man chasing and struggling with another person who was covered in blood. Sgt Janes ran in pursuit and pulled them apart a couple of times. He managed to pin the assailant to the ground, where he continued to struggle violently. Another bystander, guided by instructions from the Sergeant, tended to the victim. Sgt Janes was eventually able to subdue and restrain the attacker until the authorities arrived.
Captain DAVID JAMES HOWELL, M.B., C.D.
Medal of Bravery, Date of Presentation: December 3, 1999
On July 22, 1993, then MWO David Howell, the senior instructor present on Saville Farm Extraction Zone at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta, rescued two men from a crashed Hercules aircraft. Warning others of the risk of an explosion, MWO Howell organized the rescue efforts and rode to the crash scene with an ambulance crew. Despite the fact that one engine was on fire, he entered the wreckage through a crawl place and rescued two badly injured victims. Although the fire had increased in size and fuel was pouring from one of the tanks, MWO Howell re-entered the plane to ensure that no one remained inside, then arranged for first aid to be administered to the injured.