"SMOKEY" SMITH

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Originally posted by Jon Skagfeld
Mark: check fire on your comment about VC only to Brit Forces.

Going from memory, there was great hue and cry about VC being removed from Canadian Honours List when Star of Courage etc were introduced.

Without checking a whole lot of reference material, I believe that VC has been re-instituted as the highest Canadian (Commonwealth) award.

Originally, when that whole series of "Canadian" awards was instituted, we kept the VC, but a distinctly Canadian version, with the original inscription "For Valour" replaced by "Pro Valore" (presumably not to offend the French). None was ever awarded.

Sometime in the last year or so, we seem to have reverted... someone, somewhere, obviously has enough clout to suggest that until we become another Republique Francaise, we remain a Commonweath country, and as such in the service of Her Majesty.

The VA site notes this change by the absence of the revisionist photo and text they once carried on the subject:

http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/general/sub...enu/group01/vc

[snide editorial comment] You'll damned well never see one of THESE awarded, posthumously or otherwise, as long as this crew of ruffians is in power. Her Majesty's government might request the privilege of bestowing that award, but our people will inevitably turn it down. It sickens me. [/snide editorial comment]