Medals, Honours and Awards
Each individual that served during World War Two was entitled to receive service medals, appropriate to the time and place he/she served. These medals were normally noted on the individual’s discharge papers. In addition, an individual may have earned honours and/or awards for bravery or service with distinction. These may or may not have appeared on the individual’s discharge papers.
A description of these medals and awards can be found at Veterans Affairs Canada website Index of Medals and Decorations.
In my database I have identified 208 individuals from Cape Breton that received additional honours and/or awards during World War Two The following list identifies those I currently have in my database. If anyone can add to this list please contact me.
Honours and Awards presented to Cape Bretoners during World War Two, in order of merit:
Commander, Order of the Bath
A/M Harold (Gus) Edwards, Royal Canadian Air Force
Commander, Order of the British Empire
G/C Clarence R. (Larry)Dunlap, Royal Canadian Air Force
H/Brig. Ronald Cameron[Rev. Fr.] MacGillivray, Canadian Chaplain Services
Distinguished Service Order
S/L Colin Francis Campbell, Royal Air Force
A/Lt. Col. Donald Frederick Forbes, North Nova Scotia Highlanders
Cmdr. Harry (The Horse) Freeland, Royal Canadian Navy Reserve
Lt. Col. Sylvester (Syl) MacKinnon, Cape Breton Highlanders
Lt. Col. Robert Boyd Somerville, Cape Breton Highlanders
Officer, Order of the British Empire
Lt. Col. Thomas Edward Guy, Canadian Provost Corps
Lt. Col. James Arnold Noble, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps
Member, Order of the British Empire
Capt. St. Clair Allen, Canadian Merchant Navy
Maj. Clarence Melville [Dr.] Bethune, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps
WO1 John Benjamin Butterworth, Cape Breton Highlanders
RQMS Henry Cantwell, Cape Breton Highlanders
QMS WO I Harold Robbins Cotton, Royal Canadian Artillery
A/Lt. Col. Michael Reginald Dare, 4th Canadian Armoured Division
Maj. Edgar Fortune Cape Breton Highlanders
Maj. John Foxe, Canadian Postal Corps
Maj. Archibald A. MacDonald, Royal Canadian Artillery
CSM James Bernard MacInnis, Royal Canadian Artillery
Lt. Col. Bernard Francis [Dr.] Miller, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps
Maj. Max Morris, Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers
Philip D. Townsend. Canadian Merchant Navy
Member, Order of the British Empire (Civil Divison)
Suprv. Wensley Ritchie MacCoy, Canadian Auxiliary Services
Royal Red Cross Award, 1st Class
Maj. Hilda Mae Boutilier, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps
Capt. Mary Belle MacNeill, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps
Distinguished Service Cross
Lt. Cdr. James Philip Fraser, Royal Canadian Navy Reserve
Lt. David Lloyd Miller, Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve
Military Cross
Maj. Perry Lewis Cadegan, Royal Canadian Corps of Signals
Capt. Donald Alexander Campbell, Cape Breton Highlanders
Capt. David Gaum, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps
Capt. Rhindress Ian Grant, Royal Canadian Artillery
Pte. Walter Harris MacLeod, Canadian Scottish Regiment
Maj. Gordon Leo French MacNeil, West Nova Scotia Regimen Lt. Arthur Bruce McDonald, Royal Winnipeg Rifles
Lt. Colin Douglas Nickerson, Princess Louise Fusiliers
Distinguished Flying Cross
F/O Norman Thomas Adams Royal Canadian Air Force
P/O Hubert George (Bertie) Bishop Royal Canadian Air Force
F/L Ralph E. Britten Royal Canadian Air Force
S/L Colin Francis Campbell Royal Air Force
F/O Michael John Campbell Royal Canadian Air Force
F/L Loran Wendell Farris Royal Canadian Air Force
F/L Leo Alton Fownes Royal Canadian Air Force
F/L William Alexander (Bill) Gardiner Royal Canadian Air Force
F/O Edgar William (Gill) Gillis Royal Canadian Air Force
F/O W.E. Gillis Royal Canadian Air Force
F/L Aaron E. Glustein Royal Canadian Air Force
F/O Harold Harvie Harding Royal Canadian Air Force
F/L James Thomas (Tommy) Head Royal Canadian Air Force
P/O Francis Albert Kay Royal Canadian Air Force
S/L James Cameron (Jim) Lovelace Royal Canadian Air Force
F/L Allan Charles MacDonald Royal Canadian Air Force
F/L Harry Burns MacDonald Royal Canadian Air Force
F/L Howard (Bud) MacDonald Royal Canadian Air Force
F/O Arthur James MacLeod Royal Canadian Air Force
F/O Daniel Thomas (Dan T.) MacNeil Royal Canadian Air Force
F/L John Joseph MacNeil Royal Canadian Air Force
P/O Malcolm MacNeil Royal Canadian Air Force
F/L (WOp) Alfred John Miles Royal Canadian Air Force
F/O John Walter Murray Royal Canadian Air Force
P/O John James O'Handley Royal Canadian Air Force
F/L Bernard Harold (Ben) O'Neil Royal Canadian Air Force
S/L Percy Edwin (Eddie) Spence Royal Canadian Air Force
F/L Samuel Thomas Taylor Royal Canadian Air Force
F/L Gordon William Troke Royal Canadian Air Force
Distinguished Flying Cross+ 1 Bar
F/L Patrick Crosby (Patsy) Cadegan Royal Canadian Air Force
Distinguished Flying Cross+ 2 Bars
S/L George Urquhart Hill Royal Canadian Air Force
Air Force Cross
WO2 Tom Lindsay, Royal Canadian Air Force
W/C Maurice Lipton, Royal Canadian Air Force
S/L Lewis Beatteay Stevenson, Royal Canadian Air Force
W/C Edwin Mountford (Teddy) Williams, Royal Canadian Air Force
Associate Royal Red Cross Medal
Lt. (NS) Mildred Rose Pride, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps
Lt. (NS) Doris Douglas Salton, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps
Distinguished Conduct Medal
CQMS Austin Bennett, North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment
Sgt. John (Jack) Bewsher, West Nova Scotia Regiment
L/Sgt. Patrick Jerome Jessome, Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers
Sgt. Michael Bernard MacDonald, Cape Breton Highlanders
Sgt. Alexander Ross MacLeod, 1st Hussars (6th Armoured)
CSM WO II John Hugh MacQueen, Cape Breton Highlanders
Maj. Arnel R. Milburn, Royal Canadian Artillery
CSM Joseph Winston Oldford, Cape Breton Highlanders
Military Medal
CQMS David Leo Bellefontaine, Cape Breton Highlanders
Bdr. Henry Courtney Brewer, Royal Canadian Artillery
Pte. Robert Basil Crane, 48th Highlanders of Canada
Cpl. Francis Archie Hannigan, Irish Regiment of Canada
Spr. John Henry Hawkins, Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers
L/Cpl. Fraser Peter Hutchinson, Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers
Sgt. Hezekiah Daniel MacCormack, Cape Breton Highlanders
Pte. Allan MacDonald, Royal Hamilton Light Infantry
Tpr. George MacLean, Calgary Regiment (Tank) (14th Canadian Armoured)
Pte. Angus Donald MacLeod, Cape Breton Highlanders
Sgt. John Alexander MacLeod, West Nova Scotia Regiment
Pte. Donald Angus (Dan) MacNeil, North Nova Scotia Highlanders
Sgt. Philip MacPhail, Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers
L/Sgt. John Joseph Martin, North Nova Scotia Highlanders
L/Sgt. George John Lionel Meadows, Royal Canadian Regiment
Sgt. Raymond Joseph Noonan, North Nova Scotia Highlanders
Sgt. Francis James (Frank) O'Connell, Canadian Provost Corps
L/Cpl. Alexander (Slugger) Vingar, West Nova Scotia Regiment
Cpl. Henry Seward Waye, West Nova Scotia Regiment
L/Sgt. Francis Allister (Allie) Wood, Cape Breton Highlanders
Miltary Medal + Bar
L/Cpl. Charles Joseph Harte Cape Breton Highlanders
Distinguished Flying Medal
WO2 Nolan Butts Royal Canadian Air Force
Sgt. Robert Francis Cromarty Royal Canadian Air Force
P/O Ronald MacLeod Royal Canadian Air Force
British Empire Medal
SBPO Roger Phillipe Arsenault, Royal Canadian Navy Reserve
Sgt. Bertha Margaret Hinkley, Canadian Women's Army Corps
Cpl William James (Bill) Johnston, Royal Canadian Air Force
Sgt. Roy Everett LeDrew, Canadian Provost Corps
QMS James Hector (Hec) MacKay, Royal Canadian Artillery
Cpl. Murdoch Matheson, Canadian Provost Corps
Pte. Mary Lillian Quinlan, Canadian Women's Army Corps
S/Sgt. James William Ryan, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps
Pte. Alexander Smith, Royal Canadian Army Service Corps
Cpl. Harold Robert Stewart, Royal Canadian Air Force
Canadian Efficiency Medal
Sgt. Herbert (Harold) E. Archer, 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion
A/Lt. Col. Donald Frederick Forbes, North Nova Scotia Highlanders
Sgt. Piper William Bernard (Willie the Piper) Gillis, Cape Breton Highlanders
Spr. C.E. Hilton, Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers
BSM Earle V. MacInnis, Royal Canadian Artillery
CSM James Bernard MacInnis, Royal Canadian Artillery
Maj. J.I. MacLean, Cape Breton Highlanders
WO2 Cecil E. Merlin, Royal Canadian Artillery
Lt. John Roger Mitchell, Royal Canadian Corps of Signals
Gnr. Francis Muise, Royal Canadian Artillery
CQMS Frank R.E. Rowe, Cape Breton Highlanders
Pte. Henry William (Harry) Walsh, West Nova Scotia Regiment
Commended for Valuable Services
F/O John Thomas Bryden, Royal Canadian Air Force
Mentioned in Despatches
Ldg. Ck. John Adams, Royal Canadian Navy Reserve
Cpl. Frank Norman Andrecyk, North Nova Scotia Highlanders
L/Cpl. George Arbuckle, North Nova Scotia Highlanders
L/Cpl. James William Barlow, Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers
CQMS Austin Bennett, North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment
L/Sgt. Walter Francis Briand, Cape Breton Highlanders
CEA James Edward Brophy, Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve
A/P/O Creighton Benjamin Bungay, Royal Canadian Navy Reserve
Pte. Charles Burke, Cape Breton Highlanders
Capt. Eugene Campbell (Buzz) Bannerman, Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical
Pte. Charles Kenneth Chandler, Canadian Provost Corps
Engineer Samuel A. Clarke, Royal Canadian Navy Reserve
CQMS Michael Danyluk, Cape Breton Highlanders
LAC John William Denney, Royal Canadian Air Force
Maj. Henry Ewen Dickson, Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers
PO Peter Wilfred Doary, Royal Canadian Navy Reserve
RSM WO 1 Archibald Dunlop, Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers
L/Sgt. John Joseph Eddy, Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers
L/Bdr. Murdock A. Ferguson, Royal Canadian Artillery
Sigmn. Harry Sylvester Ford, Royal Canadian Corps of Signals
Sgt. Frank Greene, Cape Breton Highlanders
Pte. George Thomas Hardy, Army
L/Cpl. Charles Joseph Hart, Cape Breton Highlanders
Pte. Alphonsus Hickey, Cape Breton Highlanders
Pte. Stephen Humeniuk, Cape Breton Highlanders
L/Cpl. Garfield Archibald Ivany, Royal Regiment of Canada
F/O James Alfred Jackson, Royal Canadian Air Force
Maj. John R. Johnson, Cape Breton Highlanders
F/L Richard James Jones, Royal Canadian Air Force
CPO Morton Harry Keeler, Royal Canadian Navy
CPOMM Hubert L. LeBlanc, Royal Canadian Navy Reserve
Sgt. Leo Lighter, Canadian Intelligence Corps
Sgt. Charles Evans Peter MacAulay, Royal Canadian Army Service Corps
F/L John Bernard MacDonald, Royal Canadian Air Force
Sigmn. Melvin MacDonald, Royal Canadian Corps of Signals
Sect/O Edith Cavell MacInnes, Women's Division, Royal Canadian Air Force
LAC Arthur MacKinnon, Royal Canadian Air Force
Lt. (NS) Elizabeth Claire MacKinnon, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps
Sgt. Francis John MacKinnon, Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers
Pte. Herbert MacLean, Cape Breton Highlanders
AB Thomas Alexander MacMullin, Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve
Pte. Francis J. MacNeil, West Nova Scotia Regiment
F/O (N) Hugh Columba MacNeil, Royal Canadian Air Force
Tpr. Wilfred P. Maillet
LAC Alexander Lauchlin Matheson, Royal Canadian Air Force
G/C Edwin Archibald McGowan, Royal Canadian Air Force
ERA 2 Daniel McPhee, Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve
Pte. Michael Melnick, Cape Breton Highlanders
Cpl. Henry Lemuel Mills, Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical
Maj. Max Morris, Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers
Maj. Ernest Fraser Munro, Royal Canadian Army Service Corps
Spr. Andrew Ignatius Neary, Carleton and York Regiment
Maj. John Fraser Nicholson, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps
Gnr. Joseph Clarence O'Connell, Royal Canadian Artillery
W/C Joseph Wendell (Windy) Reid, Royal Canadian Air Force
F/L William Roy (Bill) Robertson, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Pte. Alonzo Joseph Sampson, Calgary Highlanders
Sgt. William Patrick (Billie) Sampson, Royal Canadian Air Force
SPO Edward Philip Seymour, Royal Canadian Navy Reserve
Sgt. Jacob Simms, Cape Breton Highlanders
Sto. PO William Smith, Royal Canadian Navy Reserve
Lt. Col. Robert Boyd Somerville, Cape Breton Highlanders
S/L Percy Edwin (Eddie) Spence, Royal Canadian Air Force
P/O Alexander (Sandy) Sutherland, Royal Canadian Air Force
F/O Donald J. Urquhart, Royal Canadian Air Force
Capt. James A. Murray (Fat) Walsh, Canadian Provost Corps
S/L Richard Noel Francis Whalley, Royal Canadian Air Force
LAC Herbert Zorychta, Royal Canadian Air Force
Mentioned in Despatches; Oak Leaf and Medal
Pte. Richard Miles, Royal Canadian Army Service Corps
Sgt. William Arthur Roberts, Canadian Provost Corps
Mentioned in Despatches; Oak Leaf Cluster
Tpr. Harry Gilbert Hinkley, Canadian Armoured Corps
Sgt. John Edward Nicol, Royal Regiment of Canada
Pathfinder Badge
F/L Aaron E. Glustein, Royal Canadian Air Force
Foreign Awards:
Order of the White Lion for Victory - Star, First Class (Czechoslovakia)
A/M Harold (Gus) Edwards, Royal Canadian Air Force
Croix de Guerre avec Etoile D'Argent (France)
G/C Clarence R. (Larry) Dunlap, Royal Canadian Air Force
Lt. Hugh Gerald MacAdam, Royal Canadian Artillery
Croix de Guerre avec Palm (France)
A/M Harold (Gus) Edwards, Royal Canadian Air Force
Officer of the Legion of Honour (France)
A/M Harold (Gus) Edwards, Royal Canadian Air Force
Knight Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau, with Swords (Netherlands)
Lt. Alexander George MacAulay, Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers
Bronze Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau (Netherlands)
WO2 Robert Gillan, Cape Breton Highlanders
F/L Harold Morris MacLeod, Royal Canadian Air Force
Spr. Alfred John Theriault, Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers
Commander, Legion of Merit (United States)
A/M Harold (Gus) Edwards, Royal Canadian Air Force
Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
W/C Joseph Wendell (Windy) Reid, Royal Canadian Air Force
Silver Star (United States)
G/C Clarence R. (Larry) Dunlap, Royal Canadian Air Force
Gnr. Joseph Alexander (Dinke) Kalbhenn, Royal Canadian Artillery
Tech. Sgt. Harold Buchanan Morrison, United States Army
Bronze Star Medal (United States)
Lt. (NS) Nellie [Mrs.] Bewsher, United States Army Nursing Corps
Sgt. Lawrence H. Devison, 1st Special Service Force (Devil's Brigade)
Pte. Palmer Oswald Griffiths, 1st Special Service Force (Devil's Brigade)
Lt. James Mackie, United States Army
Cpl. Joseph Benedict MacNeil, Cape Breton Highlanders
S/Sgt. Roy MacVicar, United States Army
Tech. Sgt. Harold Buchanan Morrison, United States Army
Capt. Margaret Morrison, United States Army Nursing Corps
Bronze Star, Oak Leaf Cluster (United States)
CWO William H. Pierson, United States Army
Citation For Bravery (United States)
Neil Robert Clapp, Unites States Marine Corps
Pfc John Francis MacNeil, United States Army
Purple Heart (United States)
Pte. Bert L. Conway, United States Army, 8th Service Group Air Corps
Pte. Angus J. MacSween, United States Army