A Winnipeg man who fought in World War II is set to receive France’s Legion of Honour medal on Thursday.
“The Legion of Honour medal is the highest distinction France can award someone,” Bruno Burnichon of the French Consul in Winnipeg said. “This distinction is made and given to people that have done services to the country of France, either as a member of the military or services done by a regular person to the government.”
95-year-old Jim Magill is the award’s latest recipient – and possibly one of its last.
Burnichon said he has decorated more than 30 former soldiers himself, but there have been up to 1,400 Canadians who have received the medal over the past four and a half years.
“Sadly, these fine soldiers are leaving us, because of their age, or some of them — many of them — did not come back from Normandy, and it is sad that we cannot have any more candidates to decorate here in Manitoba and probably in Canada.”
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Burnichon said he has inquired at legions across Manitoba, asking about any former soldiers who fit the bill.
“Some of them don’t even know that they can qualify for this medal,” he said, noting that soldiers had to be in Normandy on D-Day to be eligible.
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The Legion of Honour medal is only awarded to still-living candidates, meaning this could be the final time Burnichon decorates a Manitoban.
“This is sad. Just before Christmas, in the fall, I decorated one in northwest Manitoba and this gentleman, at the time, was 100 years old. So that tells you the age of those fine soldiers and the people that have liberated my country of birth, and we are grateful for what they have accomplished.”
For Burnichon, giving former soldiers the award hits close to home.
“My father was one of these soldiers, he was in Normandy,” he said. “Unfortunately he died more than 20 years ago. But this is something the French people have never and will never forget. We celebrate the Canadians when they come to France especially to Normandy, when they visit the various cemeteries. The Canadians are put up on a pedestal. The French people are so grateful for what the Canadian soldiers have done — you have to be there to understand it. It does touch me very personally, I have to admit.”
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The Lieutenant Governor, Mayor Brian Bowman, representatives from the provincial and federal governments and members from the Royal Canadian Air Force will be at the ceremony, which will take place at 2 p.m. Thursday afternoon.
“They do realize it will be the last one here in Manitoba unless somebody comes up to be decorated,” Burnichon said. “We’re not going to see that again.”
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