List of Canadian Victoria Cross recipients

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A black-and-white photograph of a man with a beard and short hair looking at the viewer and wearing a button-up jacket displaying four medals
Canadian William Hall was the first black recipient of the Victoria Cross.

The Victoria Cross (post-nominal letters "VC") is the highest military honour of the British Empire and the Commonwealth of Nations, being awarded only for extraordinary valour and devotion to duty while facing a hostile force. It is the highest honour in the Canadian honour system, placed before all other orders, decorations and medals, including the Order of Canada, in the Order of Precedence.[1] It was historically awarded to members of the Canadian Forces of any rank in any service, and to allies serving under or with Canadian military command;

Since 1993, Canadians have no longer been eligible for the Victoria Cross: that medal has been superseded by the Canadian Victoria Cross – of equal honour, but yet to be awarded.[1] The Canadian medal differs only in that the inscription is in Latin rather than English; by using a language that is an ancestor of both English and French, the medal avoids linguistic discrimination between Canada's two official languages.[2]

The Victoria Cross has been presented to 96 Canadians, or people closely associated with Canada, between its creation for acts performed during the Crimean War and 1993 when the Canadian Victoria Cross was instituted. No Canadian has received either honour since 1945.[3]

The first Canadian to be awarded the Victoria Cross was Alexander Roberts Dunn for his actions at the Battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War in 1854. William Hall, a Nova Scotian, was the first black recipient of the Victoria Cross.[4] The last living Canadian recipient of the British Victoria Cross, "Smokey" Smith, died in August 2005.[5]

Thomas Ricketts, a private in the Royal Newfoundland Regiment during the First World War, received the Victoria Cross. He is not included on this list because Newfoundland was not part of Canada at that time - it was a separate a self-governing dominion at the time and did not become a province of Canada until 1949.[6]

Seventy-one Victoria Crosses were awarded to Canadians for their actions in the First World War, and Canadians won sixteen VCs during the Second World War. The remaining recipients were awarded the medal for actions performed in the Crimean War (Battle of Balaclava), the Indian Rebellion of 1857, and the Second Boer War.

Seven Canadians were awarded VCs individually on one single day, 2 September 1918, for actions they performed along the 30 km long Drocourt-Quéant Line near Arras, France: Bellenden Hutcheson, Arthur George Knight, William Henry Metcalf, Claude Nunney, Cyrus Wesley Peck, Walter Leigh Rayfield and John Francis Young. Their acts of exceptional valour were performed during Canada's Hundred Days of successful offensive campaigning that helped end the war.

Recipients

      This along with the *, indicates that the Victoria Cross was awarded posthumously

Name Date of action Conflict Unit Place of action Province of origin Notes
Wallace Algie 1918* First World War 20th Battalion, CEF Cambrai, France Ontario[7]
William Barker 1918 First World War No. 201 Squadron RAF Forêt de Mormal, France Manitoba[8]
Colin Barron 1917 First World War 3rd Battalion, CEF Passchendaele, Belgium Ontario[9]
Ian Bazalgette 1944* Second World War No. 115 Squadron RAF Trossy St. Maximin, France Alberta[10]
Edward Bellew 1915 First World War 7th Battalion, CEF Kerselaere, Belgium British Columbia[11]
Philip Bent 1917* First World War The Leicestershire Regiment Polygon Wood, Belgium Nova Scotia[12]
William Bishop 1917 First World War No. 60 Squadron RAF Cambrai, France Ontario[13]
Rowland Bourke 1918 First World War Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Ostend, Belgium British Columbia[14]
Alexander Brereton 1918 First World War 8th Battalion, CEF Amiens, France Manitoba[15]
Jean Brillant 1918* First World War 22nd Battalion, CEF Meharicourt, France Quebec[16]
Harry Brown 1917* First World War 10th Battalion, CEF Loos, France Ontario[17]
Hugh Cairns 1918* First World War 46th Battalion, CEF Valenciennes, France Saskatchewan[18]
Frederick Campbell 1915* First World War 1st Battalion, CEF Givenchy, France Ontario[19]
Leo Clarke 1916* First World War 2nd Battalion Pozières, France Manitoba[20] [note 1]
William Clark-Kennedy 1918 First World War 24th Battalion, CEF Fresnes, France Quebec[21]
Hampden Cockburn 1900 Second Boer War Royal Canadian Dragoons Komati River, South Africa Ontario[22]
Robert Combe 1917* First World War 27th Battalion, CEF Acheville, France Saskatchewan[23]
Frederick Coppins 1918 First World War 8th Battalion, CEF Hackett Woods, France Manitoba[24]
Aubrey Cosens 1945* Second World War The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada Mooshof, Germany Ontario[25]
John Croak 1918* First World War 13th Battalion, CEF Amiens, France Nova Scotia[26]
Robert Cruickshank 1918 First World War London Regiment Jordan, Palestine Manitoba[27] [note 2]
David Currie 1944 Second World War 29th Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment (The South Alberta Regiment) Battle of Falaise, France Saskatchewan[28]
Edmund De Wind 1918* First World War Royal Irish Rifles Groagie, France Alberta[29] [note 3]
Thomas Dinesen 1918 First World War 42nd Battalion, CEF Parvillers, France n/a[30] [note 4]
Campbell Douglas 1867 Bravery at Sea 24th Regiment of Foot Little Andaman, India Ontario[31]
Alexander Dunn 1854 Battle of Balaclava 33rd Regiment of Foot Balaclava, Crimea Ontario[32] [note 2]
[note 5]
Frederick Fisher 1915* First World War 13th Battalion, CEF St. Julien, Belgium Ontario[33]
Gordon Flowerdew 1918* First World War Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) Bois de Moreuil, France British Columbia[34]
John Foote 1942 Second World War Royal Hamilton Light Infantry Dieppe, France Ontario[35]
Herman Good 1918 First World War 13th Battalion, CEF Hangard Wood, France New Brunswick[36]
Robert Gray 1945* Second World War Fleet Air Arm Honshū, Japan British Columbia[37] [note 6]
Milton Gregg 1918 First World War Royal Canadian Regiment Cambrai, France New Brunswick[38]
Frederick Hall 1915* First World War 8th Battalion, CEF Ypres, Belgium Manitoba[39] [note 1]
William Hall 1857 Indian rebellion of 1857 HMS Shannon Lucknow, India Nova Scotia[40]
Robert Hanna 1917 First World War 29th Battalion, CEF Lens, France British Columbia[41]
Frederick Harvey 1917 First World War Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) Guyencourt, France Alberta[42]
Frederick Hobson 1917* First World War 20th Battalion Lens, France Ontario[43]
Charles Hoey 1944 Second World War Royal Lincolnshire Regiment Ngakyedauk Pass, Burma (now Myanmar) British Columbia[44]
Edward Holland 1900 Second Boer War Royal Canadian Dragoons Komati River, South Africa Ontario[45]
Thomas Holmes 1917 First World War 4th Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles Passchendaele, Belgium Ontario[46]
Samuel Honey 1918* First World War 78th Battalion, CEF Bourlon Wood, France Ontario[47]
David Hornell 1944 Second World War No. 162 Squadron RCAF Faroes, Atlantic Ontario[48]
Bellenden Hutcheson 1918 First World War 75th Battalion, CEF Arras, France Ontario[49] [note 7]
Joseph Kaeble 1918* First World War 22nd Battalion, CEF Neuville-Vitasse, France Quebec[50]
George Kerr 1918 First World War 3rd Battalion, CEF Bourlon Wood, France Ontario[51]
John Kerr 1916 First World War 49th Battalion, CEF Courcelette, France Nova Scotia[52]
Cecil Kinross 1917 First World War 49th Battalion, CEF Passchendaele, Belgium Alberta[53]
Arthur Knight 1918* First World War 10th Battalion, CEF Villers-les-Cagnicourt, France Saskatchewan[54]
Filip Konowal 1917 First World War 47th Battalion, CEF Lens, France n/a [note 8]
Okill Learmonth 1917* First World War 2nd Battalion, CEF Loos, France Quebec[54]
Graham Lyall 1918 First World War 102nd Battalion, CEF Cambrai, France Ontario[55]
Thain MacDowell 1917 First World War 38th Battalion, CEF Vimy Ridge, France Ontario[56]
John MacGregor 1918 First World War 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles Cambrai, France British Columbia[57]
John Mahony 1944 Second World War Westminster Regiment (Motor) River Melfa, Italy British Columbia[58]
George McKean 1918 First World War 14th Battalion, CEF Gavrelle Sector, France Alberta[59]
Hugh McKenzie 1917* First World War Canadian Machine Gun Corps Meetscheele Spur, Belgium Alberta[60]
Alan McLeod 1918* First World War No. 2 Squadron RFC Albert, France Manitoba[61]
William Merrifield 1918 First World War 4th Battalion, CEF Abancourt, France Ontario[62]
Charles Merritt 1942 Second World War South Saskatchewan Regiment Dieppe, France British Columbia[63]
William Metcalf 1918 First World War 16th Battalion, CEF Arras, France n/a [note 7]
William Milne 1917* First World War 16th Battalion, CEF Thelus, France Saskatchewan[64]
Harry Miner 1918* First World War 58th Battalion, CEF Demuin, France Ontario[65]
Coulson Norman Mitchell 1918 First World War 4th Canadian Engineers Canal de L'Escaut, France Manitoba[66]
George Mullin 1917 First World War Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Passchendaele, Belgium Saskatchewan[67] [note 7]
Andrew Mynarski 1944* Second World War No. 419 Squadron RCAF Cambrai, France Manitoba[68]
William Nickerson 1900 Second Boer War Royal Army Medical Corps Wakkerstroom, South Africa New Brunswick[69] [note 2]
Claude Nunney 1918* First World War 38th Battalion, CEF Drocourt-Queant Line, France Ontario[70]
Christopher O'Kelly 1917 First World War 52nd Battalion, CEF Passchendaele, Belgium Manitoba[71]
Michael O'Leary 1915 First World War Irish Guards Cuinchy, France Saskatchewan[72] [note 9]
Michael O'Rourke 1917 First World War 7th Battalion, CEF Hill 70, France British Columbia[73]
John Osborn 1941 Second World War Winnipeg Grenadiers Mount Butler, Hong Kong Manitoba[74]
John Pattison 1917* First World War 50th Battalion, CEF Vimy Ridge, France Alberta[75]
George Pearkes 1917 First World War 5th Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles Passchendaele, Belgium Yukon[76]
Cyrus Peck 1918 First World War 16th Battalion, CEF Cagnicourt, France New Brunswick[77]
Frederick Peters 1942 Second World War HMS Walney Oran, Algeria P.E.I[78]
Walter Rayfield 1918 First World War 7th Battalion, CEF Arras, France Ontario[79]
Herbert Reade 1857 Indian rebellion of 1857 61st Regiment of Foot Delhi, India Ontario[80]
Arthur Richardson 1900 Second Boer War Strathcona's Horse Wolwespruit, South Africa n/a[81] [note 10]
James Richardson 1916* First World War 16th Battalion, CEF Somme, France British Columbia[82]
James Robertson 1917* First World War 27th Battalion, CEF Passchendaele, Belgium Nova Scotia[83]
Charles Rutherford 1918 First World War 5th Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles Monchy, France Ontario[84]
Francis Scrimger 1915 First World War Canadian Army Medical Corps St. Julien, Belgium Quebec[85]
Robert Shankland 1917 First World War 43rd Battalion, CEF Passchendaele, Belgium Manitoba[86] [note 1]
Ellis Sifton 1917* First World War 18th Battalion, CEF Neuville-St.-Vaast, France Ontario[87]
John Sinton 1916 First World War Indian Medical Service Orah Ruins, Mesopotamia British Columbia[88] [note 2]
Ernest Smith 1944 Second World War Seaforth Highlanders of Canada River Savio, Italy British Columbia[89]
Robert Spall 1918* First World War Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Parvillers, France Manitoba[90]
Harcus Strachan 1917 First World War Fort Garry Horse Masnières, France Manitoba[91]
James Tait 1918* First World War 78th Battalion, CEF Amiens, France N.W.T[92]
Frederick Tilston 1945 Second World War Essex Scottish Regiment Hochwald Forest, Germany Ontario[93]
Frederick Topham 1945 Second World War 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion Rhine, Germany Ontario[94]
Paul Triquet 1943 Second World War Royal 22e Régiment Casa Berardi, Italy Quebec[95]
Richard Turner 1900 Second Boer War Royal Canadian Dragoons Komati River, South Africa Quebec[96]
Thomas Wilkinson 1916* First World War Loyal North Lancashire Regiment La Boiselle, France n/a[97]
John Young 1918 First World War 87th Battalion, CEF Dury-Arras Sector, France Quebec[98]
Raphael Zengel 1918 First World War 5th Battalion, CEF Warvillers, France Saskatchewan[99] [note 7]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 One of three WWI Canadian VC recipients who lived on same block on Pine Street (now Valour Road) in Winnipeg: Leo Clarke, Frederick Hall and Robert Shankland
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Recipients were Canadians, but were serving in Other Army Units at the time of their VC act
  3. ↑ Although born in Ireland, was enlisted in the Canadian army and is considered Canadian at the time he won the medal
  4. ↑ Although a Danish citizen who enlisted in the Canadian army, he is considered Canadian at the time he won the medal
  5. ↑ First Canadian to earn VC, during the Charge of the Light Brigade, 1854-Oct-25
  6. ↑ Last Canadian to earn VC, in actions sinking Japanese escort ship Amakusa, 1945-Aug-9
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Although an American citizen who enlisted in the Canadian army, is considered Canadian at the time he won the medal
  8. ↑ Although a Ukrainian citizen who enlisted in the Canadian army, is considered Canadian at the time he won the medal
  9. ↑ Considered Irish, but listed here due to residency in Canada
  10. ↑ first soldier to be awarded the Victoria Cross for actions committed while serving with a Canadian unit (even though under British command)

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  42. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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