Native Art, Bingorage and Other Stuff

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Canada's most decorated "Indian" soldier. Francis Pegahmagabow

Dad and I went to Ottawa for Christmas vacation, to see the sisters and my niece (Beebee!). While we were there, we also went to the Canadian War Museum. This is the first installment posting of our trip there.

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[Pics click to enlarge.]

Regalia Headdress of Canada's most decorated "Indian" soldier.

Closeup view of Francis' medals.

Canadian military medals; Francis Pegahmagabow.

[Canadian War Museum interpretive plaque, below:]

SNIPER

Corporal Francis Pegahmagabow is the most decorated First Peoples soldier in Canadian military history.

An Ojibwa from the Parry Island Band in Ontario, Francis Pegahmagabow enlisted in August 1914 and served until the end of the war. He was a skilled sniper and trench raider, and one of only 39 men un the entire Canadian Corps to receive the Military Medal with two bars (in other words, three times). After the war, Pegahmagabow became chief, then councilor, of the Parry Island Band.

Canadian War Museum plaque for Francis Pegahmagabow

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Francis_Pegahmagabow's Wikipedia article

Review of Three Day Road, Novel inspired by Francis.

Francis Pegahmagabow singled himself out at the Battle_of_Passchendaele

The movie, Passchendaele, has become the biggest movie of all time in Canadian cinematic history.
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