Medal of Bravery
Obverse of the Medal of Bravery
TypeState decoration
Awarded forActs of bravery in hazardous circumstances
Presented byThe monarch of Canada
Post-nominalsMB
StatusCurrently awarded
Established1 May 1972
First awarded20 July 1972
Total3,304
Ribbon bar of the Medal of Bravery
Precedence
Next (higher)Medal of Military Valour
Next (lower)Meritorious Service Medal

The Medal of Bravery (French: Médaille de la Bravoure) is a decoration that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the third-highest award for bravery,[1] and one of the three Canadian Bravery Decorations awarded by the Canadian monarch, generally through his or her viceroy-in-Council. Created in 1972, it is presented to both living and deceased individuals deemed to have performed "acts of bravery in hazardous circumstances".[2] Recipients are allowed to use the post-nominal letters MB.[2]

Design

The Medal of Bravery is in the form of a 31.8 millimetres (1.25 in) diameter silver medal with, on the reverse, the Royal Cypher of the reigning monarch beneath a St. Edward's Crown, symbolizing the Canadian monarch's role as the fount of honour,[3] and the inscription BRAVERY • BRAVOURE. The obverse bears a maple leaf surrounded by a laurel wreath, and the name and rank of the recipient is engraved on the medal's edge.[2]

This medallion is worn on the left chest, on a 31.8mm wide ribbon coloured red with three vertical blue stripes: for men, hung from a bar, and for women, on a ribbon bow, both pinned to the left chest.[2] Individual already possessing a Medal of Bravery be awarded the medal again for subsequent acts of bravery are granted a medal bar, in silver and bearing a maple leaf, for wear on the ribbon from which the original medal is suspended.[2]

Eligibility and receipt

On 1 May 1972, Queen Elizabeth II, on the advice of her Cabinet under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, created the Medal of Bravery to recognize acts of great gallantry. The name of any person, living or deceased, may be submitted to the Canadian Decorations Advisory Council[4]— a part of the Chancellery of Honours at Government House— as a possible recipient of the Medal of Bravery. It is not necessary that the act of bravery take place in Canada, nor must the person who carried out the act be a Canadian; however, the event must have involved Canadians and/or Canadian interests. Nominations can be made no later than two years following either the act of bravery itself or the conclusion of any coroner's or court's inquest into the events for which the person was nominated.[1] Once they have been decorated with the Medal of Bravery, recipients are granted the right to use the post-nominal letters MB. As of August 2009, the Medal of Bravery has been presented to at least 3300 people,[5] and there have been at least two Bars issued.[6] [7]

Commemoration

The Royal Canadian Mint in 2006 released a general circulation commemorative quarter showing on the reverse a variation of the design of the Medal of Bravery.

Recipients

The following are some notable recipients of the Medal of Bravery:

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Office of the Governor General of Canada. "Honours > Decorations > Decorations for Bravery". Queen's Printer for Canada. Archived from the original on 9 October 2006. Retrieved 29 August 2009.
  2. ^ a b c d e Veterans Affairs Canada. "Canada Remembers > Records & Collections > Canadian Orders, Medals and Decorations > Canadian Military Medals and Decorations > Modern Honours of Canada > Medal of Bravery". Queen's Printer for Canada. Retrieved 29 August 2009.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ Royal Canadian Mounted Police. "Honours and Recognition Programs > Canadian National Honours". Queen's Printer for Canada. Archived from the original on 23 March 2009. Retrieved 20 May 2009.
  4. ^ Office of the Governor General of Canada. "Honours > Decorations > Decorations for Bravery > Eligibility and Nominations". Queen's Printer for Canada. Archived from the original on 9 October 2006. Retrieved 29 August 2009.
  5. ^ "Search: Medal of Bravery". The Governor General of Canada. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  6. ^ "Recipients". 11 June 2018.
  7. ^ "Sgt Dale Kurdziel Receives Second Medal of Bravery". Canadian Military Engineers Association. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  8. ^ Chancellery of Honours. "Honours > Find a Recipient > Recipient > Master Seaman Charles Stanley Winsor, M.B. and Bar". Queen's Printer for Canada. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  9. ^ "Master Seaman Charles Stanley Winsor". The Governor General of Canada.
  10. ^ Office of the Governor General of Canada. "It's an Honour > Find a Recipient > Leading Seaman Robert Binder, M.B." Queen's Printer for Canada. Retrieved 7 December 2010.
  11. ^ "Constable Mary Margaret Diane Brock, M.B." The Governor General of Canada.
  12. ^ "Warrant Officer Dennis Richard Robinson, M.B., C.D." The Governor General of Canada.
  13. ^ "Corporal Joseph Jacques Mario Charette, M.B." The Governor General of Canada.
  14. ^ "Superintendant Konrad Lionel Shourie". The Office of the Governor General of Canada.
  15. ^ "Dr. Éric Fortier, M.B." The Governor General of Canada.
  16. ^ "Mr. Mohamed Chelali, M.B." The Governor General of Canada.
  17. ^ "Mr. Paul Landry". The Governor General of Canada.
  18. ^ "Mr. John Barry Boyarski". The Governor General of Canada.
  19. ^ "Captain Gerry Dawson, M.B." The Office of the Governor General of Canada.((cite web)): CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  20. ^ "Lieutenant Colonel Brett Douglas Cairns". The Governor General of Canada.
  21. ^ "Mr. Milton Keith Chute". The Governor General of Canada.
  22. ^ Leaf, The Maple. "Canadian Ranger receives medal of bravery for saving lives in house fire – The Maple Leaf". ml-fd.caf-fac.ca. Retrieved 2017-12-09.
  23. ^ "Detective Constable James Arthur Elvish".
  24. ^ "Ms. Gillian Irene MacAulay". The Office of the Governor General of Canada.

External links

Orders, decorations, and medals of Canada
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