Aboriginal War Veterans WWI 1914

1
Aboriginal War VeteransWWI 1914 1918WWII 1939
- 1945

• BCFN 12

2
Aboriginal War VeteransWWII

• At least 3,000 status (treaty) Indiansincluding
  72 womenenlisted, as well as an unknown number
  of Inuit, Métis, and other Natives.
• .

3
They Came From Across Canada

• Aboriginal peoples from every region of Canada
  served in the armed forces during the Second
  World War, fighting in every major battle and
  campaign of the conflict

4
They Volunteered

• "We're proud of the word volunteer. Nobody forced
  us. We were good Canadianspatriotswe fought for
  our country."
• Syd Moore, Second World War Veteran

5
Tommy Prince

• Born in Manitoba, Canada, Tommy Prince was a
  member of the Ojibway Nation at the Brokenhead
  reservation in Scanterbury Manitoba.

6
Tommy Prince

• He was accepted into the Canadian Army on 3 June
  1940. First as a Field Engineer and then with the
  Canadian Parachute Battalion. He then was chosen
  for the 1st Special Service Force. They became
  known to the enemy as the Devils Brigade.
  Historica Online

7
Tommy Prince

• In the summer of 1944, he walked across miles of
  mountainous terrain deep behind German lines,
  going days without food or water, to locate an
  enemy camp. He returned with his unit and they
  captured more than 1000 German soldiers.
• Historica Online

8
Medals for Bravery

• When the fighting ended, King George VI decorated
  Prince with both the Military Medal and the
  Silver Star, an American decoration for gallantry
  in action. He was honorably discharged on 15
  June.
• Historica Online

9
Pride

• He said "All my life I had wanted to do something
  to help my people recover their good name." He
  dedicated himself to attaining increased
  educational and economic opportunities for
  Aboriginal peoples.Historica Online

10
Home to Canada

• Prince returned from the wars to a country that
  denied him the right to vote in federal elections
  and refused him the same benefits as other
  Canadian veterans.
• Native land, expropriated during the war for
  military use, was not returned.
• Native land was sold to White veterans under the
  Soldiers' Settlement Act, and Aboriginals did not
  have the right to buy land or obtain other
  benefits because of Indian Act restrictions.

11
Canada Denied Benefits

• Veterans Land Act Gave veterans a low-interest
  loan of 6, 000 to purchase agricultural property
  or to invest in the fishing industry
• This was revised in 1942 to deal with Status
  Indians

Since reserve land could not be sold, Status
Indians Were not eligible for the loan. Instead
of 6, 000 they got 2, 320
12
Korean War1950 - 1953
13
Service in Korea

• Facing unemployment, Prince re-enlisted and
  served with the Princess Patricias Canadian
  Light Infantry.

14
More Medals

• During two tours of duty during the Korean War he
  won the Korean, Canadian Volunteer Service and
  United Nations Service medals.
• He was wounded in the knee, and was honourably
  discharged on 28 October 1953.

15
War Hero

• Tommy Prince is Canadas most-decorated
  Aboriginal war veteran.