Daily Blog

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them!

9/25/2016

Wonderful words left to us by the great American..John F. Kennedy

Those of you who have often visited this site know of my passion for the Canadians, and also those connected to Canada in one way or another, who joined up with the US military and during their careers was awarded the Medal of Honor.

The pride I take in bringing you these stories also requires I constantly search for, and share news regarding any of these heroes in this space. Over the past year or more I have expanded to bring you also many a story about our Victoria Cross recipients. Updates for them have also been brought forth.

Not long ago I brought you some information about a Medal of Honor and other medals that were apparently stolen in Ontario and how the provincial police are investigating that matter. Press releases originally claimed the MOH was from WWll and earned for actions in France.

The story of course was of interest to me as very few MOH's from that war came to Canada. I was obviously most interested about the original recipient, his battle and connection to Canada.

This week, after a long wait, I learned that the medal of interest was in fact NOT a US Medal of Honor. What it actually was, was not shared though I have been told the owner of the medals has... or is being helped to get replacements issued by the government. The best news, yet to come, is who stole the items and what is being done to help that person remember those who fought for him or her in a way more acceptable to society.

On another front, news has been shared with me, and much more is hopefully coming my way and will appear in this space about a true Medal of Honor recipient from Civil War days. A man also from Ontario. Stayed tuned as that unfolds.

On still another front, regular readers know that I am constantly pushing for more recognition of our brave heroes of days gone by. Them and also those who today choose to wear the dog tags... instead of the capes or yesteryear that told us of their hero status. Ever one of these men and women are heroes...always have... and always will be heroes.

Having said that, I cannot help but note the rampant use of news headlines telling us about 14 of the Medal of Honor men and their support of one of the presidential candidates. The press is gaga over the fact that these men have stepped forward to vote, and shown their flavor of politician.

But let's reflect for a moment that beyond the 14 supporters, we hear nothing of the other 63 recipients still alive today. Same goes for the 88 Generals and Admirals that have stepped up to the same podium, Sounds like a lot till you do some research and discover that there are over 4,800 serving and retired Generals and Admirals that are probably of voting age in the USA.

I am chagrined to not be able to find any in the MOH world that...like myself, have a concern when I read a headline about a MOH recipient giving his support. Not that he so votes, but that his name is not in the headline. Just the mention of the medal. The medal sells! Why doesn't the name? Is the use of the medal clearly the focus, and is that what a medal stands for today? Some need to give serious thought about this, and come forward with their views.

I just did !

And finally today, each of you can honour our MOH and VC men by googling the following names and reading the stories of these heroes. After you read them, please pass them on to others. Each was either born or died, was gazetted or awarded by General Order, or fought the action that resulted in their medal on the date in September beside each name. These dates just cover the later part of the month.

Medal of Honors... Philip Moore 21, Ken Kays 22, Douglas Munro 27, Austin Denham 29, and John Chapman 30.

Victoria Crosses... Charles Train 21, Fred Hobson and Arthur Richardson 23, James Tait and John Croak 24, Alexander Brereton, Jean Brillant, Fred Coppins, Sam Honey, George Kerr, Herman Good, Graham Lyall, Cy Peck and Raphel Zengel, 27, Milton Gregg, and Fred Hall 28, John McGregor and Michael O'Leary 29, and finally Sam Honey again on the 30th.

This homework should keep you going till next Sunday.
Bart

Comments always welcome...

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More on the Knight that truly became a Knight!

9/19/2016

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Yesterday I left off with telling you about our professional carpenter turned soldier. I mentioned that he had tackled barbed wire twice and got slight wounds as a result. He also attacked far more than obstacles.

I cannot yet find a citation about what he did to be awarded the Croix de Guerre by the King of Belgium. But I did locate a London Gazette notice containing Art's name and about 1700 other officers and enlisted men from Britain, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Newfoundland, (still a British Colony at the time) who were also awarded the Crouix de Guerre, a medal usually issued for bravery in the field. And folks... that is just one issue of perhaps thousands of issues of the London Gazette.

One in ten of these medals i this issue went to a Canadian, though the units, dates involved and actions performed were not listed. Some internet sites say Art's medal came from actions 99 years ago at the famous battle of Passchendaele

In May of 1918 Art was promoted to Lance Sergeant and by August or September, he was again promoted to Acting Sergeant.

Regular readers of these blogs will have seen this map before and became aware of several of the Canadian Victoria Crosses that were earned along this line known as the Drocourt-Queant Line. It is named after the villages called Drocourt, at the top of the line and Queant at the bottom.

Battling the Germans along this very heavily protected line began the push of the enemy back out of France, into Belgium and back into Germany from whence they came so many years earlier.

The 100 day offensive would see a gain of some 130 Km's of territory, the taking of over 32,000 prisoners and the capture of about 3,800 artillery pieces, machine guns and mortars.

But the price tag was not cheap. In those 100 days Canada lost almost 6,800 of her finest, and another 39,000 wounded.

And in those same 100 days 30 Canadians and Newfoundlanders would come home with a Victoria Cross. Actually, if truth be known, in many cases only the medal came home.

Sadly, Art was one of the later heroes. Here is what the London Gazette had to say about Art... but they called him Acting Sergeant Arthur George Knight.

And you guessed it... the "Knight" with shinning armor. The "Knight" who was awarded the Victoria Cross.

Sgt Knight was struck in the head by a piece of shrapnel in mid afternoon on September 3 1918, was sent to a field hospital but died the next day. He was only 32 years old when he gave his life for his country. The battle that took his life was fought very close to the bottom of the defensive line shown above.

The King of England was so saddened when he heard of the tragedy that he wrote Art's parents to tell of his heroism and the awarding of the VC, and did so in his own handwriting.

A few months later... on 19 December... exactly 4 years to the day when he enlisted back in Regina, his parents and sisters attended a formal presentation at London and received the actual medal. It is believed to have changed hands a few times in the intervening years but now is believed to be among the great collection of VC's at Calgary's Glenbow Museum.

Sergeant Arthur George Knight, VC rests today at the Dominion Cemetery just a few miles away from where he was killed. Some 200 or more of his Canadian comrades in arms join him there and no doubt, since he is the only Victoria Cross recipient there, he probably gets to talk first at their gatherings in heaven. Note the towering Cross of Sacrifice at the cemetery. (The largest one of its kind in the world is located at Halifax Nova Scotia, and a smaller version is mounted at Arlington in DC)

I found the above picture on the net. It shows a likeness I presume of the medals that Art was entitled to. I say likeness because the Croix de Guerre above shown appears to be a WWll version and not one slightly different and in use in the Great War.

At left is a plaque mounted in the town hall back in England where he was born, and his school also mounted an honour roll plaque and included him, at above right. His name is also engraved on a number of VC monuments in Canada, a plaque has been mounted outside his old home in Regina, and his regiment... the old 10th... now the Calgary Highlanders... have raised a monument in Europe in remembrance of his heroism.

But each of us should take some time to recognize Art, and over 100 other Canadian VC recipients, or those with connections to Canada, and with their brothers who earned the Medal of Honor.

There is little that has be done on many of these Canadian heroes. Their stories in these blogs should only be a first.

What can you do? Better yet..what WILL YOU DO? Start a movement in your part of the country to recognize one of these heroes, and tell me about it, and I will give it some coverage in this very space.

cheers till Sunday.

Bart

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We have all heard of the " knight in shining armor!" But did you know that before his days of glory he was just a carpenter!

9/18/2016

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Well, let me tell you about him. I'll call him Art.

Later it will all become clear!

Art came from a small place about 60 miles south of London, England. Like most, he went to school and like many also joined the local Church Lad's Brigade. He then carried on as his father and grandfather before, in the building trades. When about 15 he found work as an "Odd Boy" at a local builder's yard. Soon he'd be an apprenticed and still later a fully qualified carpenter. At some point Art also served in India with the 12th Battery of the Royal Garrison Artillery.

But times back as a carpenter in England were tough for Art and his profession, so, like so many others he left for better prospects. When his feet hit the ground he found himself in Regina Saskatchewan in 1911. This after a long sail on the SS Albania, Southampton to Quebec. He was no doubt delighted to hear that in Regina they needed carpenters. For the next three years he plied his trade. At the same time he probably missed some of the comradery back in the Lad's Brigade and possibly with that in mind, did a short term with the Territorial Army (possibly the Salvation Army of today) in the Regina area.

It is said that this picture is of Art whilst with the Lad's Brigade, but it may be after he arrived in Canada in 1911.

Three years into his carpentry career Art heard the calls for men to sign up for the Great War in Europe.

In mid December 1914 he answered the call and enlisted with the E Company of the 46th Battalion, CEF. (The regimental cap badge is shown to right,) No doubt some training took place in Western Canada and then he was shipped off to Montreal where he would board the carrier Elele (possibly Edele) for England on 5 July 1915, arriving on the 18th.

Art was part of the first shipment of reinforcements called for and upon arrival in England he was dispatched to the 32nd Reserve Battalion, but in less than a month then relocated to the 10th Battalion of the CEF (Canadian Expeditionary force) By the end of the month Art was with the 10th in France. (Cap badges above)

In the Fall of 1915 Art received at least one if not two minor wounds, possibly to the lower leg and foot areas. One may have been through entanglements with barbed wire obstacles. Medical care was received both in France and back in England. At one point one of the issues had his feet and one ankle swollen up so bad that he could not even walk.

In 1917 Art was obviously impressing his bosses. He rose in rank from Pte to Acting Lance Corporal, appointed Acting Corporal, and then to full Corporal by mid November.

Less than a year later the London Gazette would tell the world that the King of the Belgiums had even awarded our carpenter the Croix de Guerre, though I have yet to find a citation telling us why..

Art was doing so well finding his footing, if you will, that he was earning enough money to send back to his mother and three younger sisters in England $15 a month.

In the above picture he is proudly wearing his stripes. The collar dogs have the number 10 displayed though difficult to see.

The year 1917 would come to an end with yet another wound. This was not inflicted by the enemy... but by accident. Whilst moving some boxes about, his heavy military coat caught on some barbed wire and he ended up twisting his ankle and breaking his foot in a fall that saw him again under medical care.

1918 would be a whole end a lot different for Art, the Knight with shining armor.

And I'll bring you that tomorrow!
Bart

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Pressing issues did not allow time to complete today's blog.

9/11/2016

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It will be a two part blog with the first probably next Saturday and 2nd the following day. I had hoped to bring the first today, but complications on other fronts are resulting in them being put off till next weekend.

Sorry for the delay folks.
Bart

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No matter how many times you tell the story, it seems you have to keep telling it!

9/4/2016

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It was about 6 years ago that a serving US General walked up to me and asked how he could help me with my very long (and continuing) journey of story telling.

I was in Los Angeles at the time and had just had the thrill of yet again visiting the inspiring Medal of Honor Memorial at Riverside. Here are inscribed about 3,500 names of Medal of Honor men... and one woman. Each had been awarded a medal by the US president for their heroism. Of about 39 panels with these names inscribed, about 31, if memory serves correct, had a name on it of a Canadian or service member with connections to Canada.

With me that day were about a dozen fellow Canadians, mostly descendants, who traveled also to LA to participate at the unveiling of a new marker for their Ontario born relative Benjamin Franklin Young, a Civil War recipient. It was with incredible honour that I took my fellow Canadians over to the wall with Benjamin's name inscribed and most ran their fingers along its edge... with not a few tears in their eyes and chests swollen with pride.

The next day, at the unveiling ceremony, the general approached me after the unveiling to talk about my remarks, complimented me and then asked if there was anything he could do to help me with my work.

I immediately said yes!

When I said that I suspected he had thousands under his command, he agreed. But when I asked how many of them were born in Canada, he could not answer. When I suggested it could well be several dozen, if not even more than 100, he agreed.

Then the kicker came. I said that when ever he talks about the Medal of Honor, whenever his President, the Secretary of War, the secretaries of the army and navy and air force and the press and a zillion others talk about the medal, they are usually bragging about these brave Americans. And so they should.

But then I said that every single time he refers to the medal and AMERICANS ONLY he has just insulted those under his command that come from many other parts of the world, including Canada. He lookout puzzled for a moment. I then quickly added that while surely no disrespect was meant, but at the same time, failing to note that over 700 Medals of Honor (that's one in 5 in the medal's history) were awarded to those from OUTSIDE the US, he and the rest were still insulting these foreign born service men and women.

I asked that from now on he try to convey this thought whenever the subject comes up.

He thanked me and said he would.

Now lets jump forward a few years to the fall of 2013. I was again in the US to attend the Medal of Honor annual convention at Gettysburg and do some research at Washington DC.

I brought you daily blogs of that trip on this site and all are still available by using the search engine link above.

One of my first events on that trip was attending an unveiling of a special marker memorial with names inscribed of all the living recipients at that time. Sadly several had passed away after the markers were made, but their bricks were still included. I donated the brick for Toronto born Peter Lemon, a recipient for bravery in Vietnam. That marker was the only one of about 80 donated by a Canadian.

Another of the events was a brief meet and greet of about 45 medaled men and the gathering of autographs and pictures and a most brief comment or two between the hero and the guests.

Another event was a public forum where three of the recipients were interviewed live on a stage by a national news anchor, and then a brief Q and A from the public.

I again took to the podium with a comment that I thought would get me booed out of the gathering of several hundred guests. It actually got a very respectful applause. I again raised the issue noted above and many times over the past 400 or more stories here.

I mentioned noted that I had traveled some 3,000 miles to attend the convention events and conduct other research. I also said that I was somewhat set back by the anchor's repeated comments about the BRAVE AMERICANS and added that they were not the only ones. I informed those on stage and off that one in four medals in CW days went to a non-American... and one in five in the overall history of the medal. I then asked that the moderator might better reflect on the bravery of ALL recipients. Including the more than 700 above mentioned.

He took the note quite graciously and promised at the podium that he would do so. As the three MOH recipients on stage had already met me prior to this event they smiled down at me at the microphone and seemed to agree with my comments.

Jumping ahead yet again to just a few months ago, back at Washington DC. The ceremony to unveil a new marker for Nova Scotia born Joseph Noil was well covered in this space over several days. I and others sought out the representation of many agencies at the service. Most attended and many participated.

A request was made of many of the agencies that they acknowledge not only sailor and Medal of Honor recipient Noil's citizenship, but also the incredible number of foreign born recipients going back as far as Civil War days. Many did, including the Medal of Honor Society's own foundation.

Now jumping forward to the current news of days and weeks past.

In a month the Medal of Honor Society's annual convention will be held for several days at the Twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Several websites talk about the events and links also direct you to the wonderful MOH Museum at Charleston on-board the USS Yorktown.

But these sites continue to give little or no mention to the non-American born recipients. One site tells us that the 77 remaining heroes stand from 5 ft. 2" and is aged between 26 and 94. Could this be more important than their heritage?

One says that the above mentioned museum is the best visited tourism attraction of the area, and talks about the fame of men like Audie Murphy, Alvin York and Jimmy Doolittle. All indeed famous. And all American!

Perhaps if this museum, other sites and the press across North America gave a little more attention to the forgotten heroes like James Allen and his ruse to capture so many enemy, and of his building President Lincoln's funeral car, or Thomas McMahon who was not only a medaled man but an Ambassador to Uruguay and had a stamp issued in his honor, then maybe they would be a little more better known.

Or what about Thomas Higgins who was so brave the enemy were the ones nominating him for a Medal of Honor, of Douglas Munro who saved about 500 marines and is revered to this very day by the US Coast Guard and the US Marine Corps. His EIGHTH ship named in his honour is being built as you read this blog.

Three of these four were Canadian, while the 4th had connections to Canada... as did the first man ever, by date of deed... and he was born in a place called Ireland, where well over 100 more recipients came from.

In preserving the story of the Medal of Honor for generations to come, these web sites, these organizations and more need to better reflect ALL recipients instead of the chosen ones.

All are heroes and deserve the same accolades!

Bart

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As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them!

More on the Knight that truly became a Knight!

We have all heard of the " knight in shining armor!" But did you know that before his days of glory he was just a carpenter!

Pressing issues did not allow time to complete today's blog.

No matter how many times you tell the story, it seems you have to keep telling it!

Author;
Bart Armstrong, C.D.,
Recipient, Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers

Archives

Categories

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them!

More on the Knight that truly became a Knight!

We have all heard of the " knight in shining armor!" But did you know that before his days of glory he was just a carpenter!

Pressing issues did not allow time to complete today's blog.

No matter how many times you tell the story, it seems you have to keep telling it!

Author;Bart Armstrong, C.D., Recipient, Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers

Archives

Categories

Author;
Bart Armstrong, C.D.,
Recipient, Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers