Canadian Medal of  

          Honor.com

  • Sunday evening's blogs
  • graves, memorials and medals
  • About the Author
  • contact the Author
  • Home
latest blog

Remembering still more Canadian Medal of Honor Men.

12/11/2016

0 Comments

 
Last week's blog gave brief mention to Toronto born Peter Lemon, Zorra Ontario's Benjamin F Youngs, Nova Scotia's William Pelham  and New Brunswick's John Grady. All being Medal of Honor heroes with important December dates in their lives.

It was on 1 December back in 1956 that Quebec born Henry Peter Russell passed away. On the 11th of December, 120 years ago Peter was having a much better day as he enlisted in the United States Navy. He moved to the US with family when only about 2 yrs of age, took little schooling and then decided to sign up for a military life at sea. Soon he would find himself embroiled in the Spanish American War, and as a Landsman (recruit) on board the massive USS Marblehead'

In May 1889 the Marblehead and a twin vessel... the USS Nashville dispatched 4 work-boats on a mission to dredge up and cut heavy underwater cables that provided communication links between Cuba and Spain. 110 Medals of Honor would be awarded for the 110 day war, almost half coming from the cable cutting actions, noted often in this space. Henry Russell and several other Canadians earned their medals in this action.

Picture
The Marblehead is shown above all stripped down and ready to do battle. Below is the same vessel cleaned up after the war and shows one of the work-boats with some of the medaled men posing for a photo-op.
Picture
About 25 Medals of Honor would be awarded to crews of this ship and  the same number for her twin vessel. In these,  close to 50 percent went to men who were born in numerous countries other than the US.

In September 1898 the massive memorial to Champlain was unveiled at Quebec. The USS Marblehead was invited to attend on a tour and complied, complete with a march through the streets and front row seating for the unveiling. It's crew of MOH men would have been no doubt featured in the event. And this may well have been the only time in the entire history of the MOH that so many recipients, set foot on Canadian soil at the same time.

One of Russel's shipmates was Leonard Chadwick from Delaware, and also a recipient often mentioned in this space in the past.


Picture
Within months of Chadwick's leaving the navy after the SpanAmWar his career didn't go to the dogs, but it did to the mules. He got caught up in the massive movement of these critters to South Africa for use in the 2nd Boer War Hundreds of thousands would be killed while hauling for both sides. The enemy were so concerned with the size of the mules supply, coming from both Canada and the US, that they sent spies to the US to bomb some of the facilities.

Meanwhile, Chadwick decided to don a uniform again and while serving with the Roberts Horse would do battle in so many actions that his campaign medals had more clasps than most in the entire war. His bravery throughout saw several recommendations for the Victoria Cross, the awarding of the Distinguished Conduct Medal, several Mentions in Dispatches... and the Queen's Scarf, one of only 8 in the world knitted by the very hand of Queen Victoria. (Much also on this site about the scarf.)


The fellow on the right (above)  is Private Richard Rowland Thompson, 2nd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment. He too would be awarded the scarf.
Picture
Four of the 8 scarves made were to go to Sgt's of the 4 British regiments involved. The remaining 4 were to go to private soldiers. All recipients were to be awarded after a VOTE was taken to find the bravest of the bravest of the bravest of each outfit. The men selected were NOT to be selected by officers.

The four privates were to come from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Shown about is Sergeant William ColClough who served  with the 2nd Devonshire Regiment. His 60" long, 9" wide scarf is shown above.

Picture
At some point someone has affixed the cap badge of the 2nd Devonshire to the scarf. Please also note the Queen's Royal Cypher hand stitched into one of the loops, with the usual.... VRI.  This was stitched into each one of the scarves.

While many in the military world knew of the 2 scarves coming home to North America, many possibly did not know that a third also came to Canada. The very one shown above. History detectives have yet to locate the Chadwick scarf, but all others are accounted for.

The latest chapter  on this front is possibly being written this  very day.

In Dallas Texas the above scarf is being auctioned off with a starting bid of $100,000 US... about 8 zillion today in Canadian dollars.

Sgt ColClough moved to Canada after the war and joined up with the 106th Winnipeg Light Infantry. He so served in WWl with the unit and returned home to later command it.

After his death the scarf passed through the family, and later was on display in a museum. Still later it found its way to being  offered for sale today in Texas. I just learned minutes ago that it did not sell and will come up again on the 26th. And they have put the bid up to $125,000.

Tomorrow is this blog's birthday. Four years old, and almost 400 stories strong.

Here's a hint.. I would love a scarf!

cheers all,
Bart

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

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

    Archives

    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly