Veterans Honoured

Vic Fedeli, MPP for Nipissing, was pleased to present all local WWII Veterans with the King Charles III Coronation Medal during a ceremony at The Grande Event Centre this afternoon. The King Charles III Coronation Medal Program is a visible and tangible way to recognize outstanding individuals who have made significant contributions to the country, a province, territory, region or community, or an achievement abroad that brings great benefit to Canada.

 “Our commitment to Canada is strengthened when we collectively honour those who distinguish themselves by virtue of their talents and service to our country,” said MPP Vic Fedeli. “We are proud to recognize today’s recipients who have been awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal. Their dedication has helped shape our country and enriched the lives of Canadians. This medal is a testament to their impact and commitment.”

 “In addition, we would like to thank the public for bringing forward the names of all the local WWII Veterans when we asked for support last August,” added Fedeli.

 The local WWII Veterans awarded with The King Charles III Coronation Medal include the following:

 1.     William Parfitt served as an Air Gunner in the Canadian Air Force and flew missions aboard Wellington and Lancaster Aircraft until 1945.

 2.     Réal Dumoulin served in the Canadian Forces Navy on the HMCS Iroquois as a gunner, then joined the Airforce

 3.     Thomas Edward Neil served in the Canadian Forces as a stenographer in the Chippewa barracks.

 4.     Arnold Ernest Gehrke served in the Canadian Forces-Army Light Infantry and the Queen’s Own Rifles Wentworth Regiment in England, France, Belgium, and Holland.

 5.     Anthony Hardy served as a Navy Wireless Operator on the HMCS Ontario in the North Atlantic and Pacific areas.

 6.     Harold Mclean served in the Canadian Forces army, in England and Holland.

 7.     Morris Jackson served in the Canadian Navy as a Radio Operator in Newfoundland, which was still a British Colony at the time.

 8.     Ralph Diegel (posthumously) served in the Canadian Navy from 1943 to 1945. He was a reservist who trained every summer in addition to training Navy Cadets.

 9.     George Renton (posthumously) served in the Canadian Forces RCAF in Canada and England from 1940 to 1946

 10.  Howard Gransden (posthumously) served in the Royal Canadian Armed Forces Algonquin Regimen in England.

 11.  William Jack Stride (posthumously) served the Canadian Armed forces