"A Victoria Cross medal has been produced in Canada for the first time and sources believe it will be presented by the Queen at a ceremony in April marking the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.
The launch will not only restore the decoration to the top of Canada's military honours system, but also end a controversy that raged in the 1980s and 90s about whether an award of British origin had a place in Canada.
The VC has been awarded just 1,350 times since it was instituted by Queen Victoria after the Crimean War in the 1850s. Of those, 94 were given to people serving with the Canadian military -- the first in 1856 and the last in 1945. Canada's last living recipient, Ernest (Smokey) Smith, died last year.
Each of the Canadians received a VC cast by Hancock, a jewellery store in London. Canada assumed responsibility for the decoration in 1993, but it has not been awarded or produced in that time.
Military historian Jack Granatstein said the reinstatement of the VC is a step forward for Canada."
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The launch will not only restore the decoration to the top of Canada's military honours system, but also end a controversy that raged in the 1980s and 90s about whether an award of British origin had a place in Canada.
The VC has been awarded just 1,350 times since it was instituted by Queen Victoria after the Crimean War in the 1850s. Of those, 94 were given to people serving with the Canadian military -- the first in 1856 and the last in 1945. Canada's last living recipient, Ernest (Smokey) Smith, died last year.
Each of the Canadians received a VC cast by Hancock, a jewellery store in London. Canada assumed responsibility for the decoration in 1993, but it has not been awarded or produced in that time.
Military historian Jack Granatstein said the reinstatement of the VC is a step forward for Canada."
More...
See alsoAlpha Mike Foxtrot
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2 comments:
Thanks for posting the VC article. It seems now that the Royal Canadian Legion is angry that the unknown soldier will be receiving the VC. Check out "The Torch's" post on it, here is the link to the CBC news story: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/
story/2007/03/05/cross-soldier.html
Just want to let you know that I have changed my blog's (Alpha Mike Foxtrot) address to www.alphamikefox.blogspot.com
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