OTTAWA – More than fifty veterans of the Battle of the Atlantic will be honoured during a gala dinner at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa on Thursday, May 2. The event is being organized by the Naval Association of Canada and the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and will be attended by the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence.
“Our veterans deserve our most sincere appreciation for what they accomplished on behalf of Canadians during the longest campaign of the Second World War,” said the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence. “It is important to remember the sacrifice of our veterans in what was a defining moment in the history of the Royal Canadian Navy.”
“It is a great honour for me to have this opportunity to express our thanks to the veterans of the Battle of the Atlantic who sacrificed so much for Canada during this difficult campaign in which our navy truly came of age as a force,” said Vice-Admiral Paul Maddison, Commander Royal Canadian Navy. “Canadians owe them a great debt that must never be forgotten.”
“The Naval Association of Canada recognizes the importance of Canada’s naval past – the Battle of the Atlantic was a watershed event for the Royal Canadian Navy,” said Jim Carruthers, President of the Ottawa Branch of the Naval Association of Canada. “We are honoured and delighted to have gathered over fifty of those men and women who gave so much for Canada.”
The dinner will also be an opportunity to highlight the contribution of past and present members of the RCN. First, the 2013 recipient of the Admirals’ Medal will be introduced. This year, this national award will be presented to Commander (Retired) Fraser McKee. Established in 1985, the Admirals’ Medal provides a means by which outstanding achievements in Canadian maritime activities can be publicly recognized.
Another highlight will be the unveiling of a portrait bust of Rear Admiral Leonard Murray, designed and created by Christian Corbet, one of Canada’s preeminent artists and sculptor-in-residence for the RCN. Rear Admiral Murray played a significant role in the Battle of the Atlantic, making him the only Canadian to command an Allied theatre of operations during either of the First or Second World Wars.
Several other announcements will be made at the dinner, including the introduction of the four Canadian Armed Forces personnel who will be the sentries standing vigil at the National War Memorial during the Battle of the Atlantic ceremonies in Ottawa.
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