Medals and Decorations: How a veteran can be honoured for their sacrifice

He explained that the highest medal in Canada is the Victoria Cross.

“Through the First and Second [World] War we’ve had many [recipients]. In fact, there’s a recipient here from Lethbridge. After the war though, he didn’t return back to area. He stayed overseas and then was actually killed in an accident doing some logging,” Miller said, noting there’s also a veteran with a Victoria Cross buried in Fort Macleod; Brigadier Frederick Maurice Watson Harvey.

“Up to a number of years ago, all he had was a piece of flat concrete on the grass indicating who he was. Those who have earned the Victoria Cross can actually have the shape of the medal engraved on their headstone. So that person [Harvey] was actually given a proper military marker with that stone.”

Contrary to popular belief, Miller noted that the Victoria Cross is higher than the Order of Canada.

“A lot of people think the Order of Canada is the highest, well no – that was kind of designed for a certain milestone in Canadian history. There’s [also] a Decoration for many things, whether it be bravery or amount of time served. In Canada, after 12 years you can get a Canadian Forces’ Decoration. Along with the Decoration, you can also have after your name post-nominal letters, so I can have C.D. on my business card because that is a Decoration.”

WEARING MEDALS

Miller said the only people who can wear medals are those who have earned them.

“Oftentimes during Remembrance period and activities, a lot of family members sometimes wear [for example] grandpa’s medals. The only one that can wear them are those who’ve earned it. You can certainly carry it with you,” he told LNN.

He added that one might notice children wearing crosses. These are called Memorial Crosses. Initially, they were issued by the Government of Canada to the spouse or mother of the solider who was killed.

Memorial Cross bearing the royal cypher of Queen Elizabeth the Second (Photo courtesy Glenn Miller)

“Today, members of the Canadian Forces can have up to three and they choose who will become the recipient if the person is killed in the service of Canada,” Miller said.

“Veterans Affairs Canada just recently introduced, just a few number of years ago, a miniature Memorial Cross with a purple ribbon.”

Miller said there was a school principal from Lethbridge, Frederick Phillips, who joined the Canadian Forces in World War One.

He was the first member of the 78 Depot Battery, later being transferred to the 6^th Brigade Canadian Field Artillery. Phillips was killed on November 12, 1917 in the Battle of Passchendaele. Prior to enlisting, he had been a former principal of Galbraith Elementary School in Lethbridge.

“I’ve discovered that a member of their staff had a parent who died in a crash and I was able to help her get some of these memorial ribbons for her children, so it really brings it to light,” Miller remarked.

Victoria Cross recipient George Burdon McKean. Mount McKean in Jasper National Park was named in his honour (Photo courtesy Glenn Miller)

He said that all of the awareness work he does travelling around the region and the world on behalf of the Lethbridge Legion is motivated by three words: Lest We Forget.

“That has been forgotten by today’s generation and more so because of the very fact that we aren’t involved in our own neighborhoods to the same extent that everybody was involved in World War Two. The War in Afghanistan didn’t impact the average Canadian’s life. You went there, you got your double-double, the price of gas wasn’t up, there was no shortage, so that [impact is] a lot different.”

RAMP CEREMONY

Miller added that in addition to the medals that can be bestowed upon a veteran, there’s something called a ‘ramp ceremony’ which helps pay tribute to the fallen.

“When we have casualties – we bring [Canadian soldiers’] bodies home to Canada to be buried. Before they leave whatever location they were killed at, all those people who served with that person line up and bid their farewell as the coffin is brought up the ramp up the airplane to fly back to Canada.”

The ramp is then lowered at CFB Trenton in Ontario and the deceased soldier travels down the Highway of Heroes before going to the coroner’s office, according to Miller.

“[That’s a] term that Canadians should understand what [it] means today because it doesn’t happen often but when it does, it has significant importance.”

This LNN series of stories commemorating Veterans’ Week and Remembrance Day will continue with more insight from Glenn Miller.

by Justin Goulet

Medals and Decorations: How a veteran can be honoured for their sacrifice

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