With parents who both served in theaters of war during WW II, a grandfather who was awarded the Military Medal and served in 3 wars and a distant relative who earned the Victoria Cross, Bart and a younger brother were taught in their teens that military service was a family tradition. He would ultimately serve in 3 different regiments of the Canadian Armed Forces Reserves, would do so in 3 different provinces, and briefly in the US and also in Germany. His last 5 years of service saw him seconded to the Naval Reserves for about 5 months full time each year as a senior leadership instructor. After 17 yrs service he retired as a Master Warrant Officer. (Chief Petty Officer 2nd class, in navy lingo)
In Bart's 2nd profession, he worked for over a dozen private security and investigation companies in 3 Canadian provinces. Starting out as a uniformed security guard, he would over the years work as a licensed private investigator, security consultant and was a registered commissioner of oaths. Advancing in rank with each company, he would eventually move into the management level at several of these companies. Bart finally left that career after having just finished a five year year stint as manager for several provinces with the oldest and largest non-government security firm in North America. He also briefly ran his own private investigations firm. Bart also served as a police officer in two national and one regional police force. In a 3rd occupation his work as a freelance researcher, writer, columnist, editor, publisher, and reader's advocate has resulted in over 1,000 published credits to his name. (Not including some 600 blogs in this space) He also briefly owned his own advocacy newspaper.
As a strong advocate for the underdog in most of the above columns and articles, Bart's passion to serve those in need came from the home environment. His mother spent over 40 years as a volunteer in the women's movement. Her career after military service and starting a family began with service at the local public school where her five children were attending. This led into consumerism and advocacy for needed improvements at the city level, which grew into the regional and provincial and ultimately the national level. But it did not end there. She would move into the international arena, and soon become the Vice President of the International Council of Women. Over the years she received close to 100 nominations to serve in the Canadian Senate, would be awarded the Order of Canada, the Person's Award and several of the Queen's medals, and would become a Citizenship Judge. Two decades ago his mother was one of the three original founders of the very month that women in Canada celebrate in October and known as "Women's History Month."
Bart's interest in military heroes would see him do extensive research on the few Americans who were awarded the Victoria Cross. He was also very interested, while living in Nova Scotia, in pursuing the stories of several VC recipients from there. Soon his interest in heroes expanded to the Medal of Honor. At that time, the accepted list was limited to 54 recipients. While the criteria for Bart's list has slightly changed from most others, the last 2 decades of his work, with help from many, his numbers have more than doubled and are currently at just over 100. He continues work on several more possible heroes.
His research has taken him across Canada, into several US States, and has resulted in the finding of some of the graves lost to history. In some cases, he has arranged and/or attended ceremonies to unveil new markers. Bart had several times called for, and received, assistance from the Canadian Embassy at Washington and several Consulate and Consul General offices across the US in helping to conduct ceremonies in their areas, including at Arlington National Cemetery on Canada Day a few years back. All for the purpose of honouring these heroes and bringing these stories to he public's attention. For several years he is believed to have been, and as of August 2022, remains the lone Canadian member of the Medal of Honor Historical Society of the United States and has contributed to its published journals from a Canadian perspective. His work has also been acknowledged, supported and encouraged by local TV, radio and newspaper coverage.
It must not go unmentioned that much of this work has been greatly supported to by the sharing of expertise, documents and pictures, stories etc from families of recipients, from archives and historical societies, from museums and libraries, various government offices, cemeteries and numerous other organizations and individuals. Of particular note is the support received from the Medal of Honor Historical Society of the US and the Victoria Genealogical Society and many members therein, in this work. Their supply of energy, time, research skills, moral support and fabulous friendship is the key to much of the success Bart's work has enjoyed over the last several years of his journey to shine the light on this lost Canadian heritage.
In August of 2016 the Governor General of Canada announced that Bart had been awarded the Sovereign Medal for Volunteers for his work. This is a most prestigious award for long service to the community on worthy projects and dedication performed with no hopes of personal gain or financing. In January of 2017 he joined about 30 others in Victoria BC at Government House and was formally presented his award by the province's Lt. Governor. Bart claims that the award is not his, but belongs to the thousands over almost two decades, that have done their bit to help in this research and documentation of our lost heritage.
An ultimate goal in Bart's work is to have a book in print on the results of all of this work, and possibly funding raised in this effort, and to see the book placed in schools across Canada. This site is a dedication to these brave heroes. Recipients of either the Victoria Cross or the Medal of Honor. He would also like to see many public buildings, armouries, schools, parks, roads, vessels, monuments, plaques etc erected or renamed in this country to honour these recipients, most now forgotten, or worse... never even known.
If they can do this in THOUSANDS of villages, towns, cities, all state capitols, and at Washington DC for the American heroes, AND THEIR CANADIAN COUNTERPARTS, and others from around the world, who have been awarded the Medal of Honor, the question must be asked yet again... Why have these Canadians not been recognized and honoured in like manner in their own country of birth?
In one of John Kennedy's famous speeches he said that we should ...... "Ask not what your country can do for you.... ask what you can do for your country."
Grab the torch and lead the way in your area of Canada to see that these heroes finally get the recognition needed in those small towns and villages and cities and provincial capitals and at Ottawa. Reach out to the press in your hometown or city and ask them to give coverage to these heroes. Send them to this site so that they can learn more.
Lest we Forget!
Bart
In Bart's 2nd profession, he worked for over a dozen private security and investigation companies in 3 Canadian provinces. Starting out as a uniformed security guard, he would over the years work as a licensed private investigator, security consultant and was a registered commissioner of oaths. Advancing in rank with each company, he would eventually move into the management level at several of these companies. Bart finally left that career after having just finished a five year year stint as manager for several provinces with the oldest and largest non-government security firm in North America. He also briefly ran his own private investigations firm. Bart also served as a police officer in two national and one regional police force. In a 3rd occupation his work as a freelance researcher, writer, columnist, editor, publisher, and reader's advocate has resulted in over 1,000 published credits to his name. (Not including some 600 blogs in this space) He also briefly owned his own advocacy newspaper.
As a strong advocate for the underdog in most of the above columns and articles, Bart's passion to serve those in need came from the home environment. His mother spent over 40 years as a volunteer in the women's movement. Her career after military service and starting a family began with service at the local public school where her five children were attending. This led into consumerism and advocacy for needed improvements at the city level, which grew into the regional and provincial and ultimately the national level. But it did not end there. She would move into the international arena, and soon become the Vice President of the International Council of Women. Over the years she received close to 100 nominations to serve in the Canadian Senate, would be awarded the Order of Canada, the Person's Award and several of the Queen's medals, and would become a Citizenship Judge. Two decades ago his mother was one of the three original founders of the very month that women in Canada celebrate in October and known as "Women's History Month."
Bart's interest in military heroes would see him do extensive research on the few Americans who were awarded the Victoria Cross. He was also very interested, while living in Nova Scotia, in pursuing the stories of several VC recipients from there. Soon his interest in heroes expanded to the Medal of Honor. At that time, the accepted list was limited to 54 recipients. While the criteria for Bart's list has slightly changed from most others, the last 2 decades of his work, with help from many, his numbers have more than doubled and are currently at just over 100. He continues work on several more possible heroes.
His research has taken him across Canada, into several US States, and has resulted in the finding of some of the graves lost to history. In some cases, he has arranged and/or attended ceremonies to unveil new markers. Bart had several times called for, and received, assistance from the Canadian Embassy at Washington and several Consulate and Consul General offices across the US in helping to conduct ceremonies in their areas, including at Arlington National Cemetery on Canada Day a few years back. All for the purpose of honouring these heroes and bringing these stories to he public's attention. For several years he is believed to have been, and as of August 2022, remains the lone Canadian member of the Medal of Honor Historical Society of the United States and has contributed to its published journals from a Canadian perspective. His work has also been acknowledged, supported and encouraged by local TV, radio and newspaper coverage.
It must not go unmentioned that much of this work has been greatly supported to by the sharing of expertise, documents and pictures, stories etc from families of recipients, from archives and historical societies, from museums and libraries, various government offices, cemeteries and numerous other organizations and individuals. Of particular note is the support received from the Medal of Honor Historical Society of the US and the Victoria Genealogical Society and many members therein, in this work. Their supply of energy, time, research skills, moral support and fabulous friendship is the key to much of the success Bart's work has enjoyed over the last several years of his journey to shine the light on this lost Canadian heritage.
In August of 2016 the Governor General of Canada announced that Bart had been awarded the Sovereign Medal for Volunteers for his work. This is a most prestigious award for long service to the community on worthy projects and dedication performed with no hopes of personal gain or financing. In January of 2017 he joined about 30 others in Victoria BC at Government House and was formally presented his award by the province's Lt. Governor. Bart claims that the award is not his, but belongs to the thousands over almost two decades, that have done their bit to help in this research and documentation of our lost heritage.
An ultimate goal in Bart's work is to have a book in print on the results of all of this work, and possibly funding raised in this effort, and to see the book placed in schools across Canada. This site is a dedication to these brave heroes. Recipients of either the Victoria Cross or the Medal of Honor. He would also like to see many public buildings, armouries, schools, parks, roads, vessels, monuments, plaques etc erected or renamed in this country to honour these recipients, most now forgotten, or worse... never even known.
If they can do this in THOUSANDS of villages, towns, cities, all state capitols, and at Washington DC for the American heroes, AND THEIR CANADIAN COUNTERPARTS, and others from around the world, who have been awarded the Medal of Honor, the question must be asked yet again... Why have these Canadians not been recognized and honoured in like manner in their own country of birth?
In one of John Kennedy's famous speeches he said that we should ...... "Ask not what your country can do for you.... ask what you can do for your country."
Grab the torch and lead the way in your area of Canada to see that these heroes finally get the recognition needed in those small towns and villages and cities and provincial capitals and at Ottawa. Reach out to the press in your hometown or city and ask them to give coverage to these heroes. Send them to this site so that they can learn more.
Lest we Forget!
Bart