France awards veterans with highest honour

Six Second World War veterans were awarded one of France’s highest awards – the French Legion of Honour on Jan. 21. At the Veterans Memorial Lodge at Broadmead Jack Porter, 92, Bill Capek, 93, Ken Parton, 93, Geoff Lesueur, 92, Philip Jeffrey, 94, and the oldest of the six Earl Clark, 99 were presented their medals by Cmdre Marla Mulkins, Commander Naval Reserves, and CPO1 Mike Feltham, Formation Chief.

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~

Six Second World War veterans were awarded one of France’s highest awards – the French Legion of Honour on Jan. 21.

At the Veterans Memorial Lodge at Broadmead, in a standing room only gathering, Jack Porter, 92, Bill Capek, 93, Ken Parton, 93, Geoff Lesueur, 92, Philip Jeffrey, 94, and the oldest of the six Earl Clark, 99, listened as O Canada and La Marseilles, the national anthem of France, played.

Then the four residents from the lodge and two (clients) from Veterans Health Centre were presented their medals by Cmdre Marla Mulkins, Commander Naval Reserves, and CPO1 Mike Feltham, Formation Chief.

“By order of the President of the Republic of France you have been awarded the rank of Knight of the French National Order of the Legion of Honour,” proclaimed Cmdre Mulkins on behalf of the French government. “This distinction, which is the highest national order of France, illustrates the profound gratitude that France would like to express, and is awarded in recognition of your personal involvement in the liberation of France during World War Two.”

In 2014, French president Francois Hollande, on the 70th anniversary of D-Day, pledged that all servicemen who fought alongside France would receive the nation’s highest honour.

It was well worth the wait says 92-year-old recipient Jack Porter, a member of the South Alberta Reserve Regiment who landed on the beaches of Normandy during the D-Day operation.

“Getting this award made me remember back and cry a little again,” said Porter. “I was in the tank regiment; each day we lost people. We were under fire much of the time and it was horrific.”

Porter’s daughter, Kathy Dorval was equally moved by the occasion and said her grandfather’s recollections of the war are still “very vivid.”

“I know for my dad this award is very important for him and our entire family,” said Dorval. “It’s probably the point of his life that he remembers most. He doesn’t talk about it a lot, but I know that he’s proud of the role he played with the South Alberta.”

The medal, a five-armed cross with a v-shaped cut out at the end of each arm surrounded by a wreath of laurel leaves, first came into existence following the French Revolution by the order of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802.

After receiving the award, the veterans were congratulated by members of the Canadian Armed Forces in attendance. MS Brandon Ensom, who organizes a monthly trip from the base to Broadmead, says it’s always a “humbling” experience for sailors, soldiers and airmen and airwomen to come out to meet with the veterans.

“There is no comparison to the level of danger they faced compared to what I do on a daily basis,” said MS Ensom. “It’s always humbling to come here and meet these people and put into perspective what they had to go through.”