The Canadian Forces’ Decoration Christopher McCreery Foreword by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh CONTACT US To obtain more information contact the: Directorate of Honours and Recognition National Defence Headquarters 101 Colonel By Drive Ottawa, ON K1A 0K2 http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhr-ddhr/ 1-877-741-8332 DGM-10-04-00007 The Canadian Forces’ Decoration Christopher McCreery Foreword by His Royal Highness The DukeThe Canadian of Edinburgh Forces’ Decoration | i Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II wearing her uniform as Colonel- in-Chief of the Scots Guards during a ceremony of Trooping the Colour in London, United Kingdom. The Canadian Forces’ Decoration she received as a Princess in 1951 can be seen at the end of her group of medals The Canadian Forces’ Decoration Dedication ...............................................................................................iv Frontispiece ................................................................................................v Foreword H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh, KG, KT, PC, OM, GBE, AC, QSO, GCL, CD, ADC ..............................vii Preface General Walter Natynczyk, CMM, MSC, CD .........................ix Author’s Note ................................................................................................x Acknowledgements ...............................................................................................xi Introduction .............................................................................................xiii Chapter One Early Long Service Decorations and Medals in Canada ..........1 Chapter Two T wo-Pronged Plan: The Canadian Forces’ Decoration and the Canadian Long Service and Good Conduct Medal .........17 Chapter Three Delayed Success : Establishing the Canadian Forces’ Decoration ...............................................................39 Chapter Four Evolution of the Canadian Forces’ Decoration .....................51 Chapter Five Logistics of the Canadian Forces’ Decoration .......................59 Chapter Six Royal and Vice-Regal Recipients ...........................................84 Conclusion ..............................................................................................95 Appendix One Long Service Decorations and Medals awarded to Canadians ..............................................99 Appendix Two T erms of Reference Constituting the Canadian Forces’ Decoration, 1947 ..............................101 Appendix Three Canadian Forces’ Decoration Regulations, 1951 ............... .103 Appendix Four Canadian Forces’ Decoration Regulations, 1981 ................106 Appendix Five Orders in Council Augmenting the Canadian Forces’ Decoration ........................................109 Appendix Six Royal and V ice-Regal Recipients of the Canadian Forces’ Decoration ........................................111 End Notes ............................................................................................115 Glossary of Postnominals ............................................................................................128 Bibliography ............................................................................................132 Photo Credits ............................................................................................136 Index ............................................................................................142 The Canadian Forces’ Decoration | iii Dedication To the members of Her Majesty’s Canadian Forces, past and present, who have been recognized by the Crown for their service to Canada. iv | The Canadian Forces’ Decoration His Majesty the King graciously approved the issuing of an Order of the King’s Privy Council for Canada to make provision for the establishment of the Canadian Forces’ Decoration for recognition of long and meritorious service in the Canadian Armed Forces by Order in Council P.C. 6335 of 15 December 1949. His Majesty King George VI The Canadian Forces’ Decoration | v His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, KG, KT, PC, OM, GBE, AC, QSO, GCL,CD, ADC on the occasion of the International Fleet Review marking the Canadian Naval Centennial in Halifax, Nova Scotia, 29 June 2010. His Royal Highness is wearing his Canadian naval uniform for the very first time. Among his medals can be seen his Canadian Forces’ Decoration with four clasps. B U C K IN GHAM PA LACE. The desire ofSovereigns and Govemmen1s to recognise long nnd lhlthfulservice by member> oftho Anned Forces throughoot the Empire goes back many years. The first medal specifically for Canadians was introduced in 1934, at the instigation ofthe Royal Canadian Mounted -Police. tt was, the-refore, only natural that Canadian Govcnunents would wish to take over this responsibility in rcspcc1 ofC.anad11's Armed Forct.-s in due cou~. The introduction of the Canadian Forces Oecor'\ltion in 1949 was the resuiL This very-carefully researched book lrJces the origins oflhe Dccora1ion. and de-scribes the intriguing nnd complicated pnx:-tSS of defining its purpose. design and introduction. Having been associated with Her Majesty's Canadian Forces since 1953.1 was delighted 10 have been awarded the Decoration. and it now proudly carries four 1Ciasps~ . I know ihat all the holdersof lhc- Oecorntion are proud thal their lo1\g service has been recognised in this way, and I am sure that all Canadians willbe intel'lOj;ted in the story told in this book. General Walter John Natynczyk, CMM, MSC, CD, Chief of the Defence Staff, wearing his chain as the Principal Commander of the Order of Military Merit, Rideau Hall, 30 January 2009 viii | The Canadian Forces’ Decoration Che' d'6«at-ma}ot de Ia 061tnse """""_.. ""-~) ·-­K1AO!C2 Whether they are guardins our coastal appro:.cheson the choppy watersof the Atlantic, defending our air spacewith our allies. affimting our sovereignty in the Nonorh patroUing the dust)' trails of Afghanistan. our men ;and women in uniform. face challenges and hardships with great determination every single day on behalfof their fellow citizens. Ofl"erins ~pf"Qpria.te recognition to d•os:c who $Crvc in t~ deofc.-ne~ oftheir c:»untry is: imponant to every socie1y around tbeworkl. Recognition is a key element ofmorale buildin.g in a military environment: one that fo$1.ers esprit de corps arld creates role models ror others to emulate. Establishtd by King George V1 in 1949, the Canadian Forces• Decoration is by far the mo~>~ recognizable honour worn by member$ of the Canadian Forces. Awarded for twelve years oflong service and good conduce. the bestowal ofthe CO is oneof the most important bertchmarks in a miliwy carttr. The CD has c.ome to symbolize the de'·otion to duty and sacrifices that elwacterizc lifein Canada's military. It is a token ofgr:uitude from Crown and .;ountry for the loyalty, dedication and profcssion•lism consiitcntly displayed by tbe members of Ue:r Majesty's Canadian Forces. ''is tha-cfore with great pride and satisfaction that I welcome this newpublic--ation which highlights the long historyof this Decoration md honours all those \oJho earned it and wear it with great distinction. t czyk, C.M.M.• M.S.C.• C.D. tarf National 061ense ••• Defence naUonale Canada Author’s Note In the writing of this work, the author, by the terms of his commission, was given full access to all relevant extant documents in the possession of the Canadian Forces as well as documents related to the Canadian Forces’ Decoration held at Library and Archives Canada, the Department of National Defence, the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General and The National Archives in the United Kingdom. The facts used by him have been verified from official sources, but he was left free to select and arrange the material. The inferences drawn and opinions expressed are those of the author himself. Major-General the Honourable George Randolph Pearkes, VC, PC, CC, CB, DSO, MC, CD (Retired) is presented with his third clasp to the Canadian Forces’ Decoration by Governor General the Right Honourable Daniel Roland Michener, PC, CC, CMM, CD, QC, at Rideau Hall. x | The Canadian Forces’ Decoration Acknowledgements The author is grateful to a host of friends who assisted in the research, writing and editing of this work. Their ongoing support and interest in revealing the fascinating origins, history and development of the Canadian honours system continues to be a source of energy and drive. I am grateful to His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, KG, KT, PC, OM, GBE, AC, QSO, GCL, CD, ADC, for having kindly agreed to provide a foreword for this work. As a long-serving member of Her Majesty’s Canadian Forces, His Royal Highness has demonstrated a keen interest in this project and his contribution enhances the prestige of the resulting publication. I am also grateful to General Walter Natynczyk, CMM, MSC, CD, Chief of the Defence Staff, for commissioning me to write this work on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of King George VI’s having created the Canadian Forces’ Decoration. That this humble decoration, usually found at the end of a row of ribbons or group of medals, has been awarded to more than 150,000 members of the Canadian Forces, including some of our most famed sailors, soldiers and air personnel, is reason enough to delve into the history of one of Canada’s first national honours. Those who wear the red and white ribbon of the CD are linked to the likes of Major-General the Honourable George R. Pearkes, VC, PC, CC, CB, DSO, MC, CD, General the Right Honourable Georges P. Vanier, PC, DSO,