Vol. 133, No. 51 — December 18, 1999

GOVERNMENT HOUSE

MERITORIOUS SERVICE DECORATIONS

The Governor General, the Right Honourable ADRIENNE CLARKSON, on the recommendation of the Chief of the Defence Staff, has awarded Meritorious Service Decorations (military division) as follows:

Meritorious Service Medal
(military division)

LEADING SEAMAN REGINALD STEPHEN COOMBS, M.S.M.
Victoria, British Columbia

MASTER SEAMAN JOSEPH DAVID WILSON, M.S.M., C.D.
Victoria, British Columbia

On the evening of January 11, 1999, HMCS Algonquin was conducting sea trials in the Strait of Juan de Fuca when a fire broke out in the diesel generator enclosure. With fire extinguishers, MS Wilson attacked the fire on the portside while LS Coombs did the same on the starboard side. The generator turbo chargers and their exhausts were glowing red and the melted crankcase breather line was spraying oil onto the exhaust lagging which, in turn, was igniting into fireballs. Both engineers alternated between cutting away the smoldering lagging and putting out flash fires. LS Coombs and MS Wilson's quick actions and professionalism helped to avert a disastrous situation, in which the potential for loss of life and equipment was extremely high.

Meritorious Service Medal
(military division)

MASTER-CORPORAL BENOIT RHEAULT, M.S.M., C.D.
Richelain, Quebec

Flight Engineer Rheault was a crew member aboard a CH-146 Griffon when an incident occurred in Montréal on January 12, 1999. The Griffon set down on an ice floe measuring about 18 by 25 metres in the St. Lawrence River in order to carry out a rescue mission. After tying a rope to his waist, MCpl Rheault, then Corporal, quickly came to the aid of a man who had fallen off the Victoria Bridge and was holding onto the ice floe. He crawled toward the victim and held out a length of rope, which he then used to pull the man to him. MCpl Rheault's calm professionalism contributed to the success of this mission and brought honour to the Canadian Forces.

LGEN (Ret'd) JAMES C. GERVAIS, C.M.M., C.D.
Deputy Secretary

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