I'm a serious Canadian nationalist, I read tonnes of Canadian history books and articles, and I try to keep up with other world history stuff. I have always considered myself knowledgeable about history in general, but in reading a book the other day i came upon something, much to my shame had forgotten, the story of Francis Pegahmagabow.
We in Canada tend to be very nonchalant when it comes to our war heros. As I'm getting older this is starting to bother me more and more. In the UK in the USA and in many other countries this man would be a national hero, here? Ask around and I doubt 1 in 500 could guess who he was. Yet it is because of people like him we have our freedoms.
Just providing a small rant and a bit of Canadian and first world war history to the community.
Corporal Francis Pegahmagabow, MM and two bars, (March 9, 1891 August 5, 1952) was the aboriginal soldier most highly decorated for bravery in Canadian military history and the most effective sniper of World War I. Three times awarded the Military Medal and seriously wounded, he was an expert marksman and scout, credited with killing up to 378 Germans and capturing 300 more. Later in life, he served as chief and a councillor for his band, and as an activist and leader in several First Nations organizations. He corresponded with and met other noted aboriginal figures including Fred Loft, Jules Sioui, Andrew Paull and John Tootoosis.
More
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Pegahmagabow
We in Canada tend to be very nonchalant when it comes to our war heros. As I'm getting older this is starting to bother me more and more. In the UK in the USA and in many other countries this man would be a national hero, here? Ask around and I doubt 1 in 500 could guess who he was. Yet it is because of people like him we have our freedoms.
Just providing a small rant and a bit of Canadian and first world war history to the community.
Corporal Francis Pegahmagabow, MM and two bars, (March 9, 1891 August 5, 1952) was the aboriginal soldier most highly decorated for bravery in Canadian military history and the most effective sniper of World War I. Three times awarded the Military Medal and seriously wounded, he was an expert marksman and scout, credited with killing up to 378 Germans and capturing 300 more. Later in life, he served as chief and a councillor for his band, and as an activist and leader in several First Nations organizations. He corresponded with and met other noted aboriginal figures including Fred Loft, Jules Sioui, Andrew Paull and John Tootoosis.
More
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Pegahmagabow
