Читать книгу The Canadian Honours System - Christopher McCreery - Страница 12
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ОглавлениеPEERAGES, BARONETCIES, AND THE IMPERIAL ORDERS OF CHIVALRY
While only infrequently summoned to the peerage of the United Kingdom — thus becoming a member of the House of Lords — a number of prominent Canadians have been elevated to the upper chamber of the Parliament at Westminster in connection with their services to the British Empire, Britain, or Canada. A peerage not only constitutes a hereditary title and a seat in the House of Lords but it was and remains considered an honour of the Crown. A baronetcy, a sort of hereditary knighthood that does not entitle the holder to sit in the House of Lords, was also employed as an honour of the Crown, though it was bestowed on only a few Canadians.
Residents of Canada were more frequently appointed to the various imperial orders of chivalry. Indeed, the diverse array of orders served as the principal means of bestowing official recognition upon Canadians for meritorious achievement and lifetime achievement in the military and civil fields until 1967. This chapter provides an overview of the type of service each order was used to reward, the number of Canadian residents appointed to each order, and various details related to the insignia recipients were presented with.
Canadian citizens continue to be appointed to a number of these orders, though solely for services to the United Kingdom or a number of the Queen’s other realms. As there are a large number of Canadian citizens who hold British citizenship and there are continuing close relations between the two countries, it is not uncommon for Canadians to be rewarded with appointment to an imperial order in recognition of services rendered to the United Kingdom.
Honours such as the Imperial Service Order are no longer awarded to British citizens, though through a curious arrangement citizens of a number of Commonwealth countries continue to be appointed to this order on the advice of their national governments.
The Order of Merit, Royal Victorian Chain, Royal Victorian Order, and Order of St. John are all examined in Part II. They are elements of the Canadian honours system that are shared with the United Kingdom and the Queen’s other realms, whereas the peerage, baronetcy, and orders examined in this chapter clearly fall into the category of imperial honours that Canadians have not been appointed to on the advice of the Government of Canada (Queen in Right of Canada) since 1968.
A number of imperial orders of chivalry are not detailed in this chapter. These include the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, the Most Illustrious Order of St. Patrick, the Most Exalted Order of the Star of India, the Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire, the Royal Guelphic Order, the Imperial Order of the Crown of India, and the Order of Burma. While many of Canada’s governors general and their spouses were members of some of these orders, few, if any, were bestowed upon residents of Canada. Only one person closely associated with Canada, Lord Pirrie (born in Quebec City), was appointed to the Order of St. Patrick. Former Governor General Vincent Massey would have been made a Knight of the Garter if the Queen had not been advised against doing so by Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent and his successor John Diefenbaker. The Royal Guelphic Order has a connection to Canada through a number of important figures, notably Sir Francis Bond Head, lieutenant governor of Upper Canada, and Sir John Franklin, the intrepid Arctic explorer who perished in what is modern-day Nunavut. Unless otherwise stated, all of the numbers listed in this chapter are for honours bestowed upon residents of Canada for services to Canada. Where possible the number of honours bestowed on Newfoundlanders has also been listed.
The Peerage in the United Kingdom
The tradition of bestowing titles upon loyal subjects of the Crown in Canada was not unique to the British. Under the French regime, titles were bestowed upon particularly distinguished subjects (see chapter 3).
A map of this complex system begins with the peerage in the United Kingdom, which is made up of different levels of peers:
I Duke/Duchess
II Marquess/Marchioness
III Earl/Countess
IV Viscount/Viscountess
V Baron/Baroness
VI Life Peers (Baron/Baroness)
Prior to 1999, almost all members of the peerage were entitled to sit in the House of Lords, the upper chamber of the British Parliament — much like the Senate is the upper chamber of Canada’s Parliament. Until 1957 almost all peerages were hereditary; thus the title passed to the eldest male heir of a peer upon his death. In some exceptional cases, a peerage title could pass through a female child, as happened with Lord Strathcona, who had two daughters but no son.
The peerage is unusual in that being summoned as a peer is both an honour — in that a title is bestowed — and that, until recently, one generally became a member of the upper chamber of the British Parliament. The passage of the House of Lords Act, 1999, removed all but a handful of hereditary peers from the House of Lords, making it more like the Canadian Senate. Since 1957, almost all appointments to the peerage have been of life peers, meaning the title (always a baron) is held only by the recipient and is not inherited after his or her death.
Over the span of Canadian history, twelve peerages and one other title have been bestowed upon Canadians. Among these, five are considered to be Canadian peerages — that is, awarded after consultation with the Canadian government. The first of these went to Sir George Stephen, who became a baron on June 26, 1891. Stephen, like two other Canadian peers, was president of Canadian Pacific Railway, and it is not unlikely that he owed his appointment to the “help” he gave the ruling Conservatives in the 1891 election campaign. This connection between the CPR and the awarding of titles strengthened opposition to hereditary honours among some in the Liberal Party of the period, who connected the procedure to the operations of patronage and party financing in the Canadian political system.
The second Canadian (and sole Canadian woman) appointed to the peerage, Lady Macdonald, became Baroness Macdonald of Earnscliffe on August 14, 1891. She was not entitled to sit in the House of Lords, and it seems safe to conclude that she was honoured mainly in memory of her late husband, Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald, who was to be the initial recipient of the honour had he not died while still an MP.
The next appointment to the peerage, Sir Donald Smith, was another former president of the CPR. He was appointed in his capacity as Canadian high commissioner to London, becoming 1st Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal in 1900. Smith continued as Canadian high commissioner until his death in 1914. Sir Thomas Shaughnessy, the principal catalyst for the 1902 Privy Council Report on honours and titles — and like Strathcona and Stephen also a president of the CPR — was elevated to the peerage in 1916.
The last Canadian to be elevated to the peerage after consultation with the Canadian government was Sir Hugh Graham, president of the Montreal Star, whose name figured so prominently in the 1917–19 debate on honours. This appointment was by far the most controversial, for Graham was remembered vividly for his fundraising activities on behalf of the Conservatives as well as his stridently pro-imperial editorials in the Star at the time of the South African War (1899–1902). The appointment — made over Borden’s objections and politically ill-timed — may well have been the turning point in rendering the prospect of Canadian peers a politically unpalatable one.
There have been a number of Canadians appointed to the peerage of the United Kingdom for services to Britain, and these are therefore not considered “Canadian” peerages. Sir Arthur Lawrence Haliburton, 1st Baron Haliburton, was born in Nova Scotia and rose to become the permanent undersecretary of state for war in Britain from 1895 to 1897. William James Pirrie, head of the famous Belfast shipbuilding firm Harland and Wolff, was made a baron in 1906 and later elevated as Viscount Pirrie in 1921. Sir Max Aitken, a native of New Brunswick, was raised to the peerage as 1st Baron Beaverbrook in 1917, yet another Canadian newspaper owner sent to the House of Lords. Sir Edward Patrick Morris, the premier of Newfoundland, became the island’s only native son to be made a peer, as 1st Baron Morris of St. John’s, in 1918. Although Newfoundland was not part of Canada at the time, it seems appropriate that Morris should be included in this list. Richard Bedford Bennett, the Canadian prime minister who revived the imperial honours system in Canada during the 1930s, was raised to the peerage as 1st Viscount Bennett in 1941. This occurred several years after Bennett had moved to Britain. Following the long tradition of Canadian newspapermen being ennobled, Roy Thomson was made 1st Baron Thomson of Fleet in 1963. In 2000, Conrad Black became Lord Black of Crossharbour and is the only Canadian yet to be appointed a life peer.
During the 1902 coronation of King Edward VII, the new King was keen to make Sir Wilfrid Laurier “Baron Laurier of St. Lin.” Laurier was shocked at the offer and declined. In Canada peerages have historically been highly contentious and continue to be as evidenced by the case of Lord Black of Crossharbour, who was forced to renounce his Canadian citizenship in order to become a peer. Upon his retirement as governor general of Canada, Lord Alexander was raised in the peerage from a viscount to an earl and given the additional title of Baron Rideau of Ottawa and of Castle Derg, County Tyrone.
Number of Elevations: In total, ten Canadians were elevated to the peerage from 1867 until the present day; only the first five can be considered Canadian appointments:
• Lady Susan Agnes Macdonald, Baroness Macdonald of Earnscliffe in the Province of Ontario and of the Dominion of Canada (1891).
• Sir George Stephen, Bt, GCVO, 1st Baron Mount Stephen of Mount Stephen in the Province of British Columbia and Dominion of Canada, and of Dufftown in the county of Banff, New Brunswick (1891).
• Sir Donald Alexander Smith, GCMG, GCVO, 1st Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal (1900).
• Sir Thomas Shaughnessy, Kt, KCVO, 1st Baron Shaughnessy of the City of Montreal in the Dominion of Canada and Ashford in the County of Limerick (1916).
• Sir Hugh Graham, Kt, 1st Baron Atholstan of Huntington in the Province of Quebec in the Dominion of Canada and of the City of Edinburgh (1917).
• Sir William Maxwell Aitken, Kt, 1st Baron Beaverbrook in the Province of New Brunswick in the Dominion of Canada and Cherkley in the County of Surrey (1917); posthumously made an ONB.
• Sir William James Pirrie, KP, 1st Baron Pirrie of the City of Belfast (1906). Elevated to 1st Viscount Pirrie of the City of Belfast (1921).
• The Right Honourable Richard Bedford Bennett, PC, KC, ED, 1st Viscount Bennett of Mickelham, Calgary, and Hopewell (1941).
• Roy Herbert Thomson, 1st Baron Thomson of Fleet (1964), subsequently made a GBE.
• The Right Honourable Conrad Black, Baron Black of Crossharbour (1999).[1]
Unlike the other honours covered throughout this book, there are no distinctive insignia to indicate a peerage. Instead, peers are entitled to wear a coronet and robe appropriate to their degree at the coronation of the sovereign (the coronet can also be displayed with the peer’s coat of arms), and for those in the House of Lords, a special parliamentary robe can be worn on select occasions.
The Baronetage in the United Kingdom
Baronet of the United Kingdom insignia.
Origins: Baronets rank immediately after barons but are not part of the peerage and do not have the right to sit in the House of Lords. A baronetcy is somewhat like a hereditary knighthood, taking the same title as a knight but without the dubbing. The title is passed down like a peerage. The honourable order of baronets consists of five divisions:
I Baronets of England, 1611
II Baronets of Ireland, 1619
III Baronets of Scotland, 1625 (Baronets of Nova Scotia)
IV Baronets of Great Britain, 1707
V Baronets of the United Kingdom, 1801
Since 1801 all baronetcies created have been baronetcies of the United Kingdom.
In total, seven baronetcies were awarded upon the recommendation of the Canadian government: three were awarded to politicians and four to businessmen. The last baronet of the United Kingdom was appointed in 1991 when Dennis Thatcher, husband of Margaret Thatcher, was appointed 1st Baronet Thatcher of Scotney in the County of Kent. The last Canadian appointed as a baronet for services to Canada was Sir Joseph Flavelle in 1917.
As the honour is hereditary, there remain hundreds of baronets despite the fact that no creations have been made for more than twenty years. There continue to be Canadian holders of these honours, since they are hereditary.
Criteria: Service national in scope.
Insignia (for all except baronets of Nova Scotia): A gold oval badge 55 mm in length and 30 mm in width, the centre bearing a single escutcheon displaying the red hand of Ulster surmounted by a Tudor Crown. The circumference of the insignia is decorated with roses (for baronets of England), thistles (of Scotland), roses and thistles (of Great Britain) or roses, thistles and shamrocks (of the United Kingdom) in filigree on a dark blue enamel background. The reverse is plain, usually with four or six rivet heads and the appropriate gold or silver hallmarks. Occasionally, the reverse will be engraved with the details of the recipient.
Suspender: A straight gold loop suspender.
Ribbon: A yellow ribbon 44 mm wide edged on each side with 4 mm of royal blue.
Postnominals: Bt or Bart.
Other: The insignia is found in both sterling gilt and carat gold.
Number of Creations for Canadians:7.
The Baronetage of Nova Scotia
The baronets of Nova Scotia are addressed separately, since the creation of baronets of Nova Scotia originally pertained directly to the colonization of what are today the provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
Origins: Created as part of Sir William Alexander’s scheme to prevent Nova Scotia from falling into French hands by settling the territory, the baronets of Nova Scotia were established by King James I as a way to raise money independently of Parliament. Charles I granted the holders of this land the title “Sir” and allowed for the creation of an insignia for the baronets. Baronets of Nova Scotia ceased to be created in 1707 afer the union of Scotland and England into Great Britain. Initially, the baronets were entitled to have a hereditary seat in the provincial legislative assembly (not yet established) and were imbued with the authority of a feudal baron upon their own lands.
Baronet of Nova Scotia insignia.
Criteria: Service to the Crown of Scotland and/or purchase of a grant of land in the Royal Province of Nova Scotia.
Insignia: A gold oval insignia varying in height from 54 mm to 41 mm. The centre displays the shield of Nova Scotia surmounted by a crown. The circumference of the insignia displays the text FAX MENTIS HONESTAE GLORIA (“Glory is the light of a noble mind”) in gold on a field of blue enamel. The reverse is plain, though it is occasionally engraved with the details of the recipients and gold or silver hallmarks.
Suspender: A gold loop suspender of varying sizes.
Ribbon: A watered orange tawny ribbon 44 mm in width.
Postnominals: Bt, Bart, or Bart NS.
Other: A variety of manufacturers have produced the insignia. Some pieces in carat gold date from the founding of the baronetage and are quite rare.
Number of Creations: 329.
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath
The Order of the Bath was founded by King George I in 1725 as a single-level military order consisting of Knights of the Bath (KB). In 1815 a civil division was added to the order and the military division was restructured into three levels: Knight Grand Cross (GCB), Knight Commander (KCB), and Companion (CB). By 1847 the civil division was restructured to mirror its military counterpart and was divided into three levels.[2] Appointments to the military division were made in recognition of service of the highest calibre, and nominees had to have a Mention in Dispatches. Those appointed to the order generally started at the CB level and could subsequently be elevated to KCB and GCB. Officers holding the rank of major or commander and above were eligible for appointment to the order, with KCBs being awarded primarily to those holding the rank of major-general and above, and GCBs being bestowed upon lieutenant-generals, generals, and field marshals or their naval equivalents.
No member of the Canadian Militia was ever appointed a GCB, though Canadians serving in the British Army did receive this honour, notably General Sir William Fenwick Williams and General Sir Gordon Drummond. In the pre-Confederation period the only Canadian appointed to the military division of the Order of the Bath was Lieutenant-Colonel Charles de Salaberry in 1817 for services in the War of 1812 at the Battle of Chateauguay. Eight members of the Canadian Militia were made KCBs, General Sir Arthur Currie and Victoria Cross holder Lieutenant-General Richard Turner being the most prominent, both in recognition of services rendered during the First World War.
During the South African War (1899–1902), five Canadians were made Companions; the First World War saw forty-two Canadians appointed CBs; two were made during the interwar period; sixty-two during the Second World War; and one final appointment went to Brigadier John Rockingham for service in the Korean War. The final Canadian KCB in the military division came during the brief Bennett honours revival of 1933–35 when the commissioner of the RCMP, Major-General James Howden MacBrien, was appointed.
In the pre-Confederation period, seven Canadians were appointed to the civil division as Companions of the Order of the Bath. Immediately following Confederation, the civil division of the Order of the Bath was the principal means through which the Crown honoured senior office-holders and politicians. The most famous of those appointed to the Order of the Bath was Sir John A. Macdonald, who was made a KCB upon the achievement of Confederation. He would go on to be made a GCB in 1884. Seven Fathers of Confederation were made Companions of the Order of the Bath in recognition of their contributions, with one refusing the honour. George- Étienne Cartier declined appointment as a CB in 1867 because he felt he deserved an honour equal to that accorded to his English-Canadian counterpart, Macdonald, as the representative of French Canada. Cartier’s patience paid off, and in 1868 he was appointed a baronet, an honour superior to Macdonald’s KCB!
In 1868 the statutes of the Order of St. Michael and St. George were altered and services that had previously been recognized with the Order of the Bath in Britain’s overseas dominions and colonies were henceforth recognized with the Order of St. Michael and St. George (the civil division of the Order of the Bath continued to be used to honour senior civil servants within the United Kingdom). This explains why Canadian appointments to the civil division of the order were nearly discontinued after 1868. Sir Sam Hughes and Major-General Sir John Wallace Carson were the last Canadians to be appointed to the civil division of the order, both as KCBs.
Criteria: Exemplary service at the national level in either military or civil service.
Insignia: Distinct insignia exist for the military and civil divisions.
Ribbon: Crimson, 38 mm wide for all levels, save the GCB sash, which is 102 mm wide.
Knight Grand Cross (Military and Civil Divisions)
Order of the Bath appointment warrant.
Mantle: Crimson satin, lined with white taffeta and tied with a cord of white silk, to the end of each which is attached crimson silk and gold tassels. The breast star of a Knight Grand Cross in the military or civil division is embroidered in wire on the left side of the mantle.
Collar: The collar insignia for the order is the same for both the military and civil divisions. The sash badge is attached to the collar; the collar badges differ for the civil and military divisions. A collar of gold composed of nine arched Imperial Crowns, eight roses, thistles, and shamrocks issuing from a gold sceptre enamelled in their proper colours, linked together with seventeen gold-enamelled knots.
Postnominals: GCB.
Knight Grand Cross (Military Division)
Sash Badge: A gold 88 mm wide Maltese cross with eight points, enamelled white, edged in gold, in each of the four angles displaying a lion passant guardant, in the centre on a gold background, a rose, thistle, and shamrock issuing from a sceptre, between three arched Imperial Crowns, this central device contained within a gold border displaying the motto TRIA JUNCTA IN UNO (“Three joined into one”) encompassed by two laurel branches in green with a blue ribbon at the base containing the text ICH DIEN (“I serve”). The sash is worn over the right shoulder with the sash badge resting on the left hip.
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (military).
Breast Star: A star 88 mm wide and 95 mm in height composed of silver rays, displaying in the centre a Maltese cross in gold, the centre of which is gold upon which there are displayed three arched Imperial Crowns in gold, the central device circumscribed by a gold ribbon containing the motto TRIA JUNCTA IN UNO and bordered on each side one laurel branch in green, at the base a small blue scroll with the text ICH DIEN.
Knight Grand Cross (Civil Division)
Sash Badge: A gold oval badge 42 mm wide, displaying a rose, thistle, and shamrock emanating from a sceptre between three arched Imperial Crowns, the whole of the centre pierced and circumscribed by the motto TRIA JUNCTA IN UNO.
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (civil).
Breast Star: A star 88 mm wide and 95 mm in height composed of silver rays, the centre of which is gold upon which there are displayed three arched Imperial Crowns in gold, the central device circumscribed by a gold ribbon containing the motto TRIA JUNCTA IN UNO. The sash is worn over the right shoulder with the sash badge resting on the left hip.
Knight Commander (Military Division)
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (military).
Neck Insignia: Similar to the sash badge worn by GCBs in the military division, though 58 mm wide. The suspender ring through which the ribbon passes displays oak leaves.
Breast Star: Composed of four rays of silver, 76 mm wide and tall, between each of which issues a smaller ray of silver, displaying in the centre a Maltese cross in gold, the centre of which is gold upon which there are displayed three arched Imperial Crowns in gold, the central device circumscribed by a gold ribbon containing the motto TRIA JUNCTA IN UNO and bordered on each side one laurel branches in green, at the base a small blue scroll with the text ICH DIEN.
Postnominals: KCB.
Knight Commander (Civil Division)
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (civil).
Neck Insignia: Similar to the sash badge worn by GCBs in the civil division, though 38 mm wide. The suspender ring through which the ribbon passes is found both ribbed and plain.
Breast Star: Composed of four rays of silver, 76 mm in width, between each issues a smaller silver ray, in the centre on a gold background, three arched Imperial Crowns, the centre device circumscribed by a circlet of red displays the motto TRIA JUNCTA IN UNO.
Postnominals: KCB.
Companion (Military Division)
Companion of the Order of the Bath (military) on buckle.
Insignia: Similar to the neck insignia worn by a Knight Commander in the military division, though 52 mm wide. No breast star is worn by Companions.
Suspender: A plain or ribbed gold ring through which the ribbon passes. Until 1917, Companions in both divisions wore their insignia on a straight suspender and gold buckle on the left breast.
Postnominals: CB.
Companion of the Order of the Bath (military) neck issue.
Companion (Civil Division)
Companion of the Order of the Bath (civil) on buckle.
Companion of the Order of the Bath (civil) neck issue.
Neck Insignia: Similar to the neck insignia worn by a Knight Commander in the civil division, though it is 32 mm wide. No breast star is worn by Companions.
Suspender: Same as for the CB military division. Until 1917, Companions in both divisions wore their insignia on a straight suspender and gold buckle on the left breast.
Postnominals: CB.
Insignia Manufacture: Insignia presented to Canadians from 1867 to 1946 were manufactured by Garrard & Co.
Number of Appointments of Canadians: 141.
• GCB Military: 0.
• GCB Civil: 1.
• KCB Military: 8.
• KCB Civil: 3.
• CB Military: 113.
• CB Civil: 16.
The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George
Created by King George III in 1818 to recognize services in the Ionian Islands, the Order of St. Michael and St. George was restructured and given a new purpose in 1868 when it was then converted into an order to recognize service in the foreign and colonial services.
From Confederation until the Nickle Resolution, it can be said that this order served as the era’s “Order of Canada,” as it was the premier award available to Canadian politicians, judges, and civil servants. This was partly because of a change in the rules in 1868, which tipped the scales away from the Order of the Bath and toward this order. When first established, the Order consisted of the Sovereign, grand master, seven Knights Grand Cross, twelve Knight Commanders, and twenty-four Knight Companions. In 1832 the lowest class became non-titular and was renamed Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George. The order was enlarged in 1868, 1877, and 1902 to allow for a maximum of 110 Grand Crosses (GCMG), 390 Knight Commanders (KCMG), and 1,775 Companions of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (CMG). For Canadians the order was intended to honour “high political or official services as distinct from judicial, literary, scientific, or artistic eminence.”
From 1868 until 1935, fourteen GCMGs (the award was reserved for governors general, prime ministers, and chief justices) were awarded to Canadians, including three Canadian prime ministers: Sir Charles Tupper, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, and Sir Robert Borden. Many other Canadians keenly sought to become KCMGs, partly because it was the most accessible honour within the reach of eminent senior civil servants, senators, cabinet ministers, provincial premiers, or even wealthy party supporters, and perhaps also because of the splendid insignia involved. Seventy-nine of them were successful: thirty-six politicians, sixteen serving or retired lieutenant governors — who were, in general, former politicians — while the remainder went to people in a variety of occupations ranging from university administrators to engineers.
The CMG was bestowed upon 370 Canadians. Even William Lyon Mackenzie King was awarded this distinction. The last Canadian appointments to the order came in 1946 when forty appointments were made at the level of CMG. This last batch was certainly the most diverse, with such prominent Canadians as the Group of Seven painter A.Y. Jackson and the poet Edwin John Pratt being recognized alongside a variety of deputy ministers and leaders in the transportation industries.
Criteria: Exemplary service in the foreign, dominion, or colonial services.
Insignia: Varies depending on level of appointment.
Ribbon: A watered ribbon of Saxon blue divided in the centre by an equal stripe of red; 38 mm for all levels, save the GCMG sash, which is 102 mm wide.
Knight Grand Cross
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (part of collar also shown.).
Mantle: Saxon blue lined with crimson silk and tied with two cords of blue and crimson silk and gold. The breast star of a Knight Grand Cross is embroidered in wire on the left. There is also a hat of blue satin lined with scarlet and finished with black and white ostrich feathers.
Collar: Gold in colour composed alternatively of twenty-four devices: lions of England crowned, en-amelled Maltese crosses, and the cyphers SM and SG, the centre of the collar having an Imperial Crown flanked on each side by a winged lion passant guardant, each holding in his forepaw a book of seven arrows, At the back where the two halves of the chain are joined there are two similar lions.
Sash Insignia: A fourteen-point gold cross 78 mm wide, enamelled in white with gold edging the entire insignia surmounted by a crown. The centre of the obverse displays a representation of St. Michael trampling on Satan, the entire central device circumscribed by a blue ribbon containing the motto AUSPICIUM MELIORIS ÆVI (“Token of a better age”). The reverse is identical to the obverse, though the centre displays a representation of St. George and the dragon. The sash is worn over the right shoulder with the sash badge resting on the left hip.
Breast Star: A silver breast star composed of seven rays, each ray having in its centre a single gold ray. Superimposed on this is a red enamelled Cross of St. George, edged in gold, the centre displaying a representation of St. Michael trampling on Satan, the entire central device circumscribed by a blue ribbon containing the motto AUSPICIUM MELIORIS ÆVI.
Postnominals: GCMG.
Knight Commander
Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George.
Neck Insignia: The same as the Knight Grand Cross sash insignia, though 52 mm wide. The ribbon passes through a ribbed gold ring.
Breast Star: A silver breast star composed of four rays surmounted by a Maltese cross in saltire. Superimposed on this is a red enamelled Cross of St. George, edged in gold, the centre displaying a representation of St. Michael trampling on Satan, the entire central device circumscribed by a blue ribbon containing the motto AUSPICIUM MELIORIS ÆVI.
Postnominals: KCMG.
Companion
Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George on buckle.
Neck Insignia: Identical to that of a Knight Commander, though 45 mm in width.
Suspender: The ribbon passes through a ribbed gold ring. Until 1917, Companions in both divisions wore their insignia on a straight suspender and gold buckle on the left breast.
Postnominals: CMG.
Insignia Manufacture: Insignia awarded to Canadians were made by Garrard & Co.
Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George neck issue.
Number of Appointments of Canadians: 463.
• GCMG: 14.
• KCMG: 79.
• CMG: 370.
Order of St. Michael and St. George appointment warrant.
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
The Order of the British Empire was founded on June 4, 1917, as an honour initially intended to recognize the effort of civilians and the military who were serving away from the front. During the Second World War, it served as Canada’s national order, being presented for both civil and military achievements. The order was established by King George V as a way to recognize ordinary people throughout the British Empire for a diverse array of contributions both civil and military and today is the most widely bestowed honour in the United Kingdom. It was the first modern honour in that it consisted of five levels, was not limited to the elite, and women were admitted from the time of its establishment.
The other imperial orders of chivalry were primarily reserved for those serving in the senior levels of the military, civil service, or politics, so the Order of the British Empire was created as an order to recognize everyone from the most junior war workers and volunteers right up to the great men and women of the day. Like the Royal Victorian Order, the Order of the British Empire was established with five levels, similar to France’s Légion d’honneur. It also initially included the Medal of the Order of the British Empire; however, this was converted into the British Empire Medal in 1922.
Crossed oak leaves used on the ribbon of the Order of the British Empire (1957—74) to denote gallantry.
The first Canadian to be invested with the order was the Montreal manufacturer Sir Charles Blair Gordon, who had served for two years as the chairman of the Imperial Munitions Board. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) and invested by King George V on October 18, 1917.
As prime minister, R.B. Bennett drew up an honours list with 163 Canadians to be appointed to the Order of the British Empire. It included more women and people from the volunteer sector than had ever been recognized with honours in the history of the empire. Bennett saw the order as an effective tool to recognize national and local contributions that brought benefit to other citizens from all walks of life. In many ways it was Bennett’s conception of honours for “exemplary citizenship” that was used as the basis behind the modern Canadian honours system. Some of the most notable Canadians appointed to the order include Sir Edward Beatty, president of the CPR, who was made a GBE in 1935; Sir Frederick Banting, the co-discoverer of insulin, who was made a KBE in 1934; and author Lucy Maud Montgomery and diplomat (and future prime minister) Lester Pearson, who were made CBE and OBE respectively.
Criteria: Exemplary service at the international, national, or local levels that brought credit to the British Empire or one of its component parts. The order was also occasionally used to recognize gallantry, and from 1957 to 1974, such awards were noted by the wearing of a pair of crossed oak leaves on the ribbon. The most notable example was General Jacques Dextraze who, as a brigadier, was awarded the CBE for gallantry during the U.N. Mission to the Congo in 1964.
Insignia: Varies according to level of appointment. The reverse of all neck and breast insignia displays a rope circlet and the Royal Cypher of King George V, GRI, surmounted by a Tudor Crown. Some OBE and MBE insignia also carry sterling hallmarks. The 2nd-type insignia are described below; the 1st-type insignia differed in that the central medallion displayed a seated effigy of Britannia holding a trident in place of the conjoined crowned busts of King George V and Queen Mary, the 2nd type having been introduced in 1937. The other difference between the 1st and 2nd types applied to the GBE and KBE breast stars, which had smooth and not chipped rays.
Ribbon: There have been four types of ribbon; two for the civil division and two for the military division.
• The sash for all GBEs is 102 mm wide; the ribbon for all other levels of the order is 38 mm wide; while the BEM has a ribbon 32 mm in width.
• 1st-type civil (1917–1937) purple.
• 1st-type military (1918–1937) purple with a central 3 mm strip of scarlet.
• 2nd-type civil (1937 to present) rose pink edged with 3 mm of grey on each side.
• 2nd-type military (1937 to present) rose pink edged with 3 mm of grey on each side and a central 1 mm stripe of grey.
Knights/Dames Grand Cross
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire 1st type (civil ribbon).
Mantle: Rose pink satin, lined with pearl grey silk, fastened with a cord of pearl grey silk, having two rose pink and silver tassels. A breast star of a Knight/Dame Grand Cross is embroidered in wire on the left side.
Collar: A gold collar made up of six medallions of the Royal Arms alternating with six medallions displaying the Royal Cypher of King George V, linked together by cables thereon an Imperial Crown between two sea lions, each holding a trident.
Sash Insignia: A gold cross patonce 70 mm wide, translucent pearl light blue enamel in colour with machine work hatching beneath the enamel, in the centre a gold medallion bearing the conjoined crowned effigies of King George V and Queen Mary, circumscribed by a maroon enamel border and the words FOR GOD AND THE EMPIRE. The uppermost arm of the cross is surmounted by an Imperial Crown in gold. The sash is worn over the right shoulder with the sash badge resting on the left hip.
Breast Star: An eight-pointed star 86 mm by 115 mm with chipped silver rays, in the centre of which is a gold medallion bearing the conjoined crowned effigies of King George V and Queen Mary, circumscribed by a maroon enamel border and the words FOR GOD AND THE EMPIRE.
Postnominals: GBE.
Knight/Dame Commander
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire 1st type (military ribbon).
Neck Insignia: Identical to that of a Knight/Dame Grand Cross, though 64 mm in width. The ribbon passes through a plain gold ring.
Breast Star: A four-pointed star 80 mm wide by 80 mm high with chipped silver rays, in the centre a gold medallion bearing the conjoined crowned effigies of King George V and Queen Mary, circumscribed by a maroon enamel border and the words FOR GOD AND THE EMPIRE.
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire 2nd type (breast star).
Postnominals: KBE or DBE.
Commander
Commander of the Order of the British Empire 1st type (civil ribbon).
Commander of the Order of the British Empire 2nd type (civil ribbon).
Insignia: Identical to that worn by Knights Commander/Dames Commander of the order. Commanders do not wear a breast star.
Suspender: The ring passes through a plain gold ring attached to the top of the insignia.
Postnominals: CBE.
Officer
Officer of the Order of the British Empire 2nd type (civil ribbon).
Officer of the Order of the British Empire 1st type (civil ribbon).
Insignia: Similar to that of a Commander, though 51 mm in width and rendered in gold without enamel. Beginning in the early 2000s, the insignia were changed from a matte to a polished bright gold appearance.
Suspender: A plain gold ring attached to the top of the insignia.
Postnominals: OBE.
Member
Member of the Order of the British Empire 1st type (military ribbon).
Member of the Order of the British Empire (civil ribbon) reverse.
Member of the Order of the British Empire 2nd type (military ribbon).
Insignia: Identical to that worn by officers, though in plain frosted silver. Beginning in the early 2000s, the insignia were changed to a polished bright silver appearance.
Suspender: A plain gold ring attached to the top of the insignia.
Postnominals: MBE.
Insignia Manufacture: The insignia for the GBEs, KBEs/DBEs, and CBEs awarded to Canadians were all made by Garrard & Co. The insignia for the OBE and MBE 1st type were also made by Garrard & Co.; the OBE and MBE of the 2nd type were made by the Royal Mint.
Number of Appointments of Canadians: 4,753.
• GBE: 2 (both civil division 1st type).
• KBE: 8 (all civil division 1st type).
• CBE: 427.
ɣ 4 (civil division 1st type).
ɣ 52 (military division 1st type).
ɣ 160 (civil division 2nd type).
ɣ 211 (military division 2nd type).
• OBE: 1,643.
ɣ 59 (civil division 1st type).
ɣ 261 (military division 1st type).
ɣ 533 (civil division 2nd type).
ɣ 781 (military division 2nd type).
• MBE: 2,673.
ɣ 79 (civil division 1st type).
ɣ 108 (military division 1st type).
ɣ 743 (civil division 2nd type).
ɣ 1,734 (military division 2nd type).
Medal of the Order of the British Empire
Created at the same time as the Order of the British Empire in 1917, the Medal of the Order of the British Empire was meant to be a junior award for labourers and workers who were involved in wartime endeavours. The medal was divided into military and civil divisions in December 1918. Canadians were awarded the medal between 1918 and 1920, with all awards being made in recognition of courageous acts rendered in industrial settings. The medal was phased out in 1922 and replaced by the British Empire Medal and the Empire Gallantry Medal (see chapter 5).
Criteria: The medal was awarded for services of special merit rendered by men and women in manual and other work done in connection with the First World War. Such service included acts of great courage, self-sacrifice, initiative, perseverance, skill, invention, or resource.
Medal of the Order of the British Empire (civil ribbon) obverse.
Insignia: A circular silver medal 27 mm in diameter, the obverse depicting a seated effigy of Britannia holding a trident circumscribed by the text FOR GOD AND THE EMPIRE, the reverse bearing the Royal Cypher GRI surmounted by an Imperial Crown and surrounded by a rope motif.
Suspender: A silver ring 15 mm in diameter through which the ribbon passes.
Ribbon: Crimson in colour and 27 mm wide for the civil division. A central 2 mm stripe of scarlet was added for the military division.
Naming: None.
Postnominals: None.
Other: The medals were issued unnamed and were struck by John Pinches.
Number: 44 total: one military, 43 civil.
British Empire Medal
The British Empire Medal was created by King George V in 1922 to replace the Medal of the Order of the British Empire. While originally styled “The Medal of the Order of the British Empire (for Meritorious Service),” this was superseded by the more succinctly titled British Empire Medal, a designation that became official in 1941. Prior to the establishment of the Canadian decorations for bravery, the BEM was also used in Canada as a third-tier gallantry award, with the last BEM for gallantry being awarded to a Canadian in 1968.
British Empire Medal (military ribbon) obverse.
British Empire Medal (military ribbon) reverse.
Criteria: Initially instituted to recognize meritorious service rendered by non-commissioned officers and men who were not eligible for appointment to the military division of the Order of the British Empire, the civil BEM was used to recognize public servants and people involved in jobs below management posts. The military and civil BEMs were also used to recognize acts of gallantry.
Insignia: A circular silver medal 36 mm in diameter, the obverse depicting a seated effigy of Britannia holding a trident and circumscribed by the text FOR GOD AND THE EMPIRE with FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE at the base. The reverse displays the Royal Cypher surmounted by a crown in the centre (GRIV) circumscribed by four lions. The reverse of the medal was changed following the death of King George V and has subsequently displayed the Royal Cypher (GRI, GVIR, or EIIR) surmounted by a crown in the centre and circumscribed by two lions on each side with the text INSTITUTED BY KING GEORGE V.
Suspender: A claw suspender composed of a trio of stylized oak leaves attached to a straight suspension bar.
Ribbon: Same variations as the ribbon of the Order of the British Empire, though 32 mm in width.
Bars: The BEM could be awarded with a bar; however, no Canadian received one. From 1957 to 1974, those awarded the BEM for gallantry were entitled to wear silver oak leaf devices on their ribbons to indicate that their awards were made in recognition of gallant acts.
Naming: Engraved or impressed capitals around the rim.
Postnominals: BEM.
Other: Struck at the Royal Mint.
Number Awarded to Canadians: 1,318.
• Military George V issue: 2.
• Civil George V issue: 1.
• Military George VI issue: 1,143 (Second World War).
• Civil George VI issue: 97 (Second World War).
• Military George VI issue: 38 (27 Korean War + 11 post-Korea).
• Civil George VI issue: 0.
• Military Elizabeth II issue: 15.
• Civil Elizabeth II issue: 22 (all gallantry).
The Order of the Companions of Honour
Founded by King George V on June 4, 1917, the order was originally established as a non-titular alternative to the various imperial orders of chivalry. Over time it has largely been treated as a junior level of the Order of Merit. Originally limited to only fifty members, it was initially bestowed upon leaders who had performed conspicuous service during the First World War.
In 1943 the British government decided to expand the order, and Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa were asked whether or not they would like a certain number allotted for their residents. Australia and New Zealand were keen to be involved while, not surprisingly, Canada and South Africa declined the offer. At this time Canadian officials were in the process of creating the Canadian Award of Honour, the Canadian Decoration of Honour, and the Canada Medal. The Canadian government felt that with the impending establishment of these new Canadian awards there would be no need for Britain to put aside a certain number of CH appointments.
Order of the Companions of Honour obverse.
The revised 1943 statutes of the order set out the following quotas: United Kingdom, forty-five; Australia, seven; New Zealand, two; other Commonwealth nations, eleven — for a total of sixty-five. Had Canada accepted the British offer, it would have been allotted seven appointments, while Australia’s quota would have been reduced to five. Appointments would have been made by the Sovereign based on the advice of the Canadian prime minister, a procedure that was used in the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand (upon the advice of their respective prime ministers).
The first CH to be bestowed upon a Canadian was awarded to General Harry Crerar, the general officer commanding the 1st Canadian Army in 1944. He had been nominated as a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, but the Canadian government would not entertain such an award. The CH was therefore considered because it was not a knighthood, yet it was still a senior honour. The recommendation to King George VI came from the Canadian minister of national defence after being cleared by the prime minister.
Order of the Companions of Honour reverse.
Vincent Massey’s CH appointment, the second to a Canadian, was initiated by King George VI. Initially, Prime Minister Mackenzie King refused to approve the appointment, but he acquiesced after considering Massey’s outstanding record of service as high commissioner to London.
General Andrew McNaughton was appointed to the order on the advice of the Canadian prime minister. He was the last Canadian to be appointed to the order for twenty-five years. This dry spell ended when Dr. Charles Best, the co-discoverer of insulin, was appointed in 1971. He was followed by Arnold Smith, the first secretary general of the Commonwealth, who was appointed to the CH in 1975 at the initiative of Queen Elizabeth II.
John Diefenbaker had refused the order when he was first offered it in 1962 — at which time he was serving as prime minister — but accepted an appointment in 1976. The British prime minister put his name forward after consulting Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. There is some evidence that Trudeau initiated the appointment, feeling that Diefenbaker deserved recognition and no doubt being aware that, as an active politician, he was ineligible for the Order of Canada. Trudeau himself would be made a CH in 1984, shortly after his final retirement from politics. His appointment was initiated by both the British and Canadian governments.
A recent Canadian to be appointed to the order is General John de Chastelain, former chief of the defence staff and former Canadian ambassador to the United States. His appointment was in recognition of his work on the Northern Ireland peace process. General de Chastelain’s award is considered to be a “British” one because his nomination was made by the British prime minister for work in the United Kingdom. Similarly, the appointment of Professor Anthony Pawson for his work on cell behaviour was made on the advice of the British government.
Criteria: Any citizen of the Commonwealth who has rendered conspicuous service of national importance. Like the Order of Merit, in the Canadian context it has been used to recognize outstanding service, which in other parts of the Commonwealth would usually be recognized through the bestowal of a knighthood.
Order of the Companions of Honour appointment warrant.
Insignia: A silver gilt oval badge 75 mm tall and 42 mm wide surmounted by a Tudor Crown or Royal Crown. The circumference of the badge is enamelled in blue and bears the motto IN ACTION FAITHFUL AND IN HONOUR CLEAR. At the centre of the insignia is a rectangular plaque containing an effigy of a knight on horseback under an oak tree. The reverse of the insignia carries the Royal Cypher surmounted by a crown. It was not until 1988 that the crown on the insignia was changed to a St. Edward’s Crown, despite the fact that the Queen had requested the change in 1953.
Suspension: A small ring passes through a mounting loop, which is mounted on the reverse of the crown. Through this small teardrop-shaped ring passes a decorative loop, through which the ribbon passes.
Ribbon: Carmine in colour, with borders of gold thread, 40 mm in width.
Postnominals: CH.
Other: This insignia is not worn in miniature.
Insignia Manufacture: Insignia presented to Canadians were made by John Pinches and most recently by Toye, Kenning & Spencer Ltd.
Number of Canadian Appointments: 9
• General Harry Crerar, CH, CB, DSO, CD (1945).
• The Right Honourable Vincent Massey, PC, CH, CC, CD (1946).
• General the Honourable Andrew George Latta McNaughton, PC, CH, CB, CMG, DSO, CD (1946).
• Dr. Charles Best, CC, CH, CBE (1971).
• Arnold Smith, OC, CH (1975).
• The Right Honourable John George Diefenbaker, PC, CH, QC (1976).
• The Right Honourable Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, PC, CC, CH, QC (1984).
• General Alfred John Gardyne Drummond de Chastelain, CC, CMM, CD, CH (1998).
• Professor Anthony Pawson, OC, OOnt, CH (2006).
Knights Bachelor
Knights Bachelor insignia.
Knights of the United Kingdom (also known as Knights Bachelor because of the title’s non-hereditary character) comprise the most junior form of knighthood. Established in the eleventh century, the honour has become syn-onymous with chivalry and service. Knights Bachelor are permitted to prefix their names with the appellation “Sir.” Women, though, have never been granted this honour. Since 1917, women have been appointed as Dames of the Order of the British Empire instead.
A knighthood is a title conferred by the Sovereign, and Knights Bachelor are not connected with any order: they are members of “the ancient concept of knighthood and chivalry” and become such when the Sovereign lays the blade of his or her sword upon the right and then the left shoulder of a kneeling subject. Beginning in 1926, Knights Bachelor were presented with an oval breast insignia worn in the same fashion as a breast star. In 1973 this was replaced with an oval neck badge, and since 1988 recipients are permitted to wear both the oval neck badge and the breast insignia.
Most Canadians who were knighted became Knights Bachelor, and 107 received the honour for services rendered in and to Canada. A total of nine were awarded to Newfoundlanders prior to that dominion joining Canadian Confederation.
The award was limited, but not always confined, to the bench and men of literary or scientific note. Pressure to award a knighthood to the politically connected came from Canada. Provincial and puisne judges and chief justices were most frequently given the honour, receiving forty-two in total, while politicians received eighteen and businessmen fifteen.
Criteria: Service national in scope in a variety of fields.
Insignia: Three types of insignia have been issued for this order, though it is only the 2nd type that was awarded to Canadians. The 1st type (1926–33) is a gold oval-shaped breast badge 76 mm high and 56 mm wide, displaying within a scroll, a cross hilted sword belted and sheathed, pommel upward between two spurs, rowels upward, the whole set about with the sword belt. The 2nd type (1933–73) is identical to the 1st, though smaller in size, measuring 56 mm high and 32 mm wide. The 3rd type (1973 to present) is identical to the 1st type, 50 mm high and 36 mm wide, hung from a loop on a ribbon around the neck.
Suspender: For the breast insignia, a narrow gold pin and clasp on the reverse of the insignia for attaching to the jacket or uniform tunic. For the neck insignia from 1973, an oblong wire loop 18 mm tall.
Ribbon: Introduced in 1973, crimson in colour 38 mm wide bordered on each side by a 3 mm of yellow. The only Canadian Knights Bachelors living at the time were Sir Ernest MacMillan, Sir Leonard Outerbridge, and Sir William Stephenson.
Postnominals: Kt, almost solely used in Canada.
Other: The insignia were made by a number of manu-facturers, notably the Royal Mint, Spink & Son, and Garrard & Co.
Number of Appointments: 107 Canadians; 9 Newfoundlanders.
The Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order obverse.
Origins: The Distinguished Service Order was created by Queen Victoria in 1886 as a reward for commissioned officers for distinguished war service. In some ways the DSO was meant as an award junior to being appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath. During the South African War (1899–1902), the First and Second World Wars, and the Korean War, the DSO was awarded to officers for gallantry below that necessary for the award of the Victoria Cross.
Distinguished Service Order George V reverse.
Criteria: Awarded to members of the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Air Force, and Merchant Navy for gallantry or leadership under fire, defined as “meritorious or distinguished service in war.”[3] The order was usually only awarded to majors and lieutenant-colonels, though appointments to more junior commissioned ranks were made — generally only in circumstances of significant acts of gallantry. From 1914 to 1916 the order was also awarded for services rendered under circumstances not considered to be “under fire.”
Insignia: A gold cross 42 mm wide with curved tips and white enamelled fields, the obverse bearing a central roundel displaying either a Tudor or St. Edward’s Crown in gold on a field of red enamel circumscribed by gold and green laurelled leaves. The reverse being identical to the obverse with the crown replaced by the Royal Cypher:
• Victoria (1886–1901): VRI.
• Edward VII (1901–10): EVIIR.
• George V (1910–36): GVR.
• George VI 1st type (1936–48): GRI.
• George VI 2nd type (1948–52): GVIR.
• Elizabeth II (1952 to present): EIIR.
Distinguished Service Order George VI 1st type reverse.
Suspender: A gold rectangular laurelled bar 31 mm wide with a raised border. An identical bar is mounted to the top of the ribbon as a brooch.
Ribbon: A crimson ribbon 29 mm wide edged with 3 mm of garter blue.
Bar: A gold bar 32 mm wide with a graduated line bisecting the length, displaying a Tudor Crown in the centre.
Postnominals: DSO.
Other: From 1886 to 1889 the insignia was made of carat gold while subsequent issues have been in silver gilt. All of the insignia awarded to Canadians were manufactured by Garrard & Co. Beginning in 1938, all awards of the DSO had the year of the award engraved on the reverse of the lower suspension.
Distinguished Service Order appointment warrant.
Number of Canadian Appointments: 1,162, 104 1st bars, 18 2nd bars.
• South African War: 20.
• First World War: 702 (88 1st bars, 15 2nd bars).
• Second World War: 432 (17 1st bars, 2 2nd bars).
• Korean War: 8 (6 GVIR 2nd types, 2 EIIR, and 1 1st bar).
The Imperial Service Order
Established by King Edward VII on August 8, 1902, the Imperial Service Order (ISO) was created to recognize long-serving senior civil servants (manager level and above) in both the United Kingdom and throughout the Commonwealth and British Empire. Senior civil servants in Britain were usually recognized with an appointment to the civil division of the Order of the Bath, and in the colonies it was the Order of St. Michael and St. George that was used to recognize colonial civil servants and British civil servants serving overseas.
Despite the pre-existence of two orders specifically intended for the civil service, their total membership was capped to a limited number of living members. This meant that people could only be appointed to the Order of the Bath or the Order of St. Michael and St. George when a vacancy occurred. With the rapid expansion of the British Empire in the last part of the nineteenth century, it became clear that another mechanism had to be developed to recognize those members of the civil service who had rendered long and meritorious service in the United Kingdom and especially in the less hospitable colonies. The solution to this was found in the creation of the Imperial Service Order. Along with the ISO, another award, the Imperial Service Medal, was established to recognize the service of junior civil servants.
Imperial Service Order Edward VII obverse.
The order was awarded to Canadians from its inception in 1902 until 1918, then again from 1933 to 1935, and finally from 1944 to 1946. In Canada it was typically awarded to the most senior civil servants at the level of deputy minister and to the heads of certain government agencies. One Newfoundlander was appointed to the order.
By the time the last Canadian was appointed to the order in 1946, the total membership throughout the Commonwealth and British Empire was limited to seven hundred. The British ceased awarding the ISO in 1995, though it is still used in certain Commonwealth countries.
Criteria: Twenty-five years of service in the British, dominion, or colonial civil service. It was not an automatic award, and nominations in Canada were put together by the clerk of the Privy Council and the undersecretary of state and submitted to the prime minister for transmission to the King. In “unhealthy” places the length of service required was a minimum of sixteen years (Canada was not classified as an unhealthy place).
Insignia: A six-pointed silver star 56 mm wide, in the centre of which is a gold disc bearing the Royal Cypher (EVIIR, GVR, or GRI), circumscribed with FOR FAITHFUL SERVICE in blue enamel and surmounted by an enamelled Imperial Crown. Queen Elizabeth II issues do exist, though none were awarded to Canadians.
Imperial Service Order 1st type appointment warrant.
Suspender: A small eyelet is affixed to the reverse of the crown and through this passes a suspender ring and the ribbon.
Ribbon: A watered ribbon 38 mm wide made up of equal parts red, blue, and red.
Postnominals: ISO.
Other: The ISO was manufactured by Elkington and Company of London and is found with sterling hallmarks on the reverse of the silver star of the order. The centre was made of 14-carat gold and occasionally bears a small stamp “14 K.” Although issued unnamed, all ISOs were awarded with an appointment scroll embossed with the seal of the order and the name of the recipient.
Group of Harold Payne, deputy minister of national war services, 1943–48, containing a 1st type George VI Imperial Service Order.
Number of Canadian Appointments: 9.
• Edward VII: 44.
• George V: 20.
• George VI (Type I): 33.
The Canada Medal
Canada Medal English obverse.
During the Second World War, a special government committee was established to administer honours in Canada. The Awards Coordination Committee (ACC) consisted of senior civil servants.[4] To remedy the lack of honours for Canadians, the ACC attempted on multiple occasions to establish a Canadian Order, only to be blocked by Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King. Ultimately, the ACC was able to develop the Canada Medal as a universal Canadian honour to be awarded for a myriad of services. The genius behind the Canada Medal originated with Major-General Harry Letson.
The proposal set out such things as who was to receive the medal and what it would look like, among other important provisions:[5]
6. Eligibility: Personnel eligible to receive the medal shall be: (a) Citizens of Canada, whether civilians or members of the armed forces or of the Merchant Navy. (b) Citizens of other countries who have rendered valuable and meritorious services of the nature set forth in the next succeeding paragraph.
7 . Service Required: The medal may be awarded to persons named in the preceding paragraph for specially valuable and meritorious service of a high standard, faithful or zealous performance of ordinary duty not being sufficient in itself. There must be either:
(a) special services of a high degree of merit, such as discharge of special duties superior to the person’s ordinary work, or
(b) highly meritorious performance of ordinary duties where these have entailed work of a specially trying character, or,
(c) display of a high degree of initiative and forethought …[6]
After some questions from the King about the number of awards — he was greatly concerned that the Canada Medal would be too widely bestowed, thereby depriving it of any importance — the King approved the establishment of the honour. The entire Canada Medal project was formalized through Order-in-Council 7964 on October 14, 1943. Canadians were informed of the Canada Medal through a press release issued on October 17.
Canada Medal French obverse.
To deal with the King’s concerns vis-à-vis the number of Canada Medals, it was agreed that:
i) Quotas, to be on a half-yearly basis of one per two thousand instead of one per thousand. Based on present strength, this will limit each half-yearly list of Service awards to approximately 375 instead of 750;
ii) publish CM list at the same time as Birthday Honours and New Year’s Honours so that it will “not then be considered a ‘consolation’ award;”
iii) first list to be issued on 1 January 1944;
iv) no more than 50 percent of the total allotment to be awarded to officers.”[7]
Public reaction was muted, war news being more important than recent institutional developments in Canada. Some papers were concerned about the “new” nature of the medal, postulating that if too many were awarded, it would become quite worthless. Toronto’s Globe struck a balanced note, stating that the new medal would “win the approval both of keen Imperialists and ardent Canadian nationalists”[8] and stressing the “democratic flavor” of the whole project.
The Canada Medal was seen as a way to blend both the imperial honours system — particularly the orders of chivalry — with a distinctive Canadian award. The French-Canadian press was even more enthusiastic. La Presse especially endorsed the creation of a Canadian award, but like the Globe expressed concern that it might be awarded too generously.
The ACC originally planned for the first awards of the Canada Medal to be made on November 11, 1943. The intent was to recognize several outstanding recipients, and there is some evidence to suggest that they were to include His Majesty the King and Queen Elizabeth, Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt, and the governor general, the Earl of Athlone, with the first full list to be published on February 1, 1944. However, this was not practical, and Cabinet was not prepared to proceed so quickly.[9]
At the November 3 Cabinet meeting it was decided that the Canada Medal would be awarded for outstanding service and not to those already in the highest positions. When Arnold Heeney, clerk of the Privy Council from 1940 to 1949 and Canada’s most senior public servant during the Second World War, suggested that the ACC had already prepared to proceed with the awards, Mackenzie King recounted that
Canada Medal reverse.
this got under my skin at once and I said it was the strongest of reasons why we should not proceed any further; that I objected altogether to these matters being forced on the Cabinet; that nothing should be done…. [I]t would have been a scandal to permit this kind of thing to mar the face of the Government with the problems that are being confronting it at this time…. Perhaps the country itself will have little comment on the decision we have made. On the other hand, had we continued with the granting of decorations when there is no time to consider them, we would have a very bitter opposition aroused against us from coast to coast and in Parliament itself.[10]
This was a distinctively inauspicious beginning for the Canada Medal.
Unlike 1943, there was no 1944 New Year’s Honours List, or 1944 King’s Birthday Honours List, and thus the newly minted Canada Medal had no outlet to be awarded. Finally, in December 1945, the prime minister announced that there would be a forthcoming Honours List on Dominion Day 1946. Again it was widely expected that the Canada Medal would be awarded, along with the various levels of the Order of the British Empire and the British Empire Medal. Prior to the ACC soliciting nominations for honours from various government departments, the military, and civilian organizations, a notice was sent to all deputy ministers and eventually to the press, stating: “The Government’s intentions with respect to the award of the Canada Medal and the establishment of a distinctive Canadian Order will be announced in due course.[11]
Again the Canada Medal was quashed, and it seemed as though it would never be awarded. Prime Minister Mackenzie King recorded in his diary:
I told the Cabinet I had never experienced more pain and anguish over any public matter than I have on anything that had to do with decorations and honours. I said that personally I was against them and upon conviction, for honours that were done one, multitudes were ignored who are more worthy.[12]
Canada Medal nomination form.
Without support from the prime minister, the entire project remained moribund. As soon as the last Canadian civilian honours list was issued in 1946, interest in the Canada Medal evaporated. It would be mentioned in the House of Commons on only a few more occasions. Neither Liberal nor Conservative governments were interested in the award.
With the creation of the Order of Canada on April 17, 1967, and the issuing of Order-in-Council 388, the Canada Medal ceased to be, never having been awarded to a single soul.
Origins: Intended to serve as a Canadian award of merit to replace all the imperial orders of chivalry, which had traditionally been awarded to Canadians for civil and military service.
Criteria: Awarded for “specially valuable and meritorious service of a high standard, faithful or zealous performance of ordinary duty not being sufficient itself. There must be either a) special services of a high degree of merit, such as discharge of special duties superior to the person’s ordinary work, or b) highly meritorious performance of ordinary duties where these have entailed work of a specially trying character, or c) display of a high degree of initiative and forethought.”
Insignia: A circular silver medal 36 mm in diameter, the obverse bearing an effigy of King George VI crowned, circumscribed by the text GEORGIVS VI D:G: BR: OMN: REX ET INDIAE IMP:. The reverse bearing the shield of arms of Canada surmounted by a Tudor Crown and surrounded by maple leaves, with a small scroll at the bottom bearing CANADA. The medal was designed by Thomas Shingles.
Suspender: An inverted fleur-de-lys holding a plaque bearing the word MERIT or MERITE in relief.
Ribbon: A 32 mm wide ribbon made up of equal portions of red, white, and red.
Bars: None.
Postnominals: CM or MduC.
Other: All medals were stamped with SPECIMEN on the rim.
Number of Awards: 7 English and 7 French specimens were struck by the Royal Canadian Mint.
