Star of Courage (Canada)

The Star of Courage (French: Étoile du Courage) is a decoration that is the second highest award for bravery within the Canadian system of honours,[1] and one of the three Canadian Bravery Decorations awarded by the Canadian monarch, generally through his or her viceroy-in-Council. Created in 1972, the medal is presented to both living and deceased individuals deemed to have performed "acts of conspicuous courage in circumstances of great peril,"[2] and grants recipients the ability to use post-nominal letters; for Anglophones SC, and for Francophones ÉC.[2]

Star of Courage
The Star of Courage
TypeMedal
Awarded forActs of conspicuous courage in circumstances of great peril.
Presented bythe

monarch of Canada
EligibilityAll Canadian citizens and foreign persons as described.
Post-nominalsSC (English)
ÉC (French)
StatusCurrently awarded
Established1 May 1972
First awarded20 July 1972
Total420
Total awarded posthumously76
Ribbon of the Star of Courage
Precedence
Next (higher)Star of Military Valour
Next (lower)Meritorious Service Cross

Design

The Star of Courage is in the form of a 38 millimetres (1.5 in) wide silver compass star Celeste with a maple leaf in each angle. On the obverse is a gold roundel at the centre of the star, bearing a maple leaf surrounded by a laurel wreath. The reverse bears on the upper arm the Royal Cypher of the reigning monarch beneath a St. Edward's Crown, symbolizing the Canadian monarch's role as the fount of honour,[3] and the inscription COURAGE. Below this is engraved the name and rank of the recipient.[2]

This medallion is worn on the left chest, on a 38 millimetres (1.5 in) wide ribbon coloured red with two vertical blue stripes: for men, hung from a bar, and for women, on a ribbon bow, both pinned to the left chest.[2] Should an individual already possessing a Star of Courage be awarded the medal again for subsequent acts of bravery, he or she is granted a medal bar, in gold and bearing a maple leaf, for wear on the ribbon from which the original medal is suspended; a small gold maple leaf is also added to the ribbon bar.[2]

Eligibility and receipt

On 1 May 1972, Queen Elizabeth II, on the advice of her Cabinet under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, created the Star of Courage to recognize acts of great bravery. Any person, living or deceased, may be nominated for the Star of Courage; it is not necessary that the act of bravery take place in Canada, nor must the person who carried out the act be a Canadian. However, the event must have involved Canadians and/or Canadian interests. Nominations can be made no later than two years following either the act of bravery itself or the conclusion of any coroner's or court's inquest into the events for which the person was nominated.[1] As of October 2019, the Star of Courage has been presented to 461 people.[4]

See also

References
  1. Office of the Governor General of Canada. "Honours > Decorations > Decorations for Bravery". Queen's Printer for Canada. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
  2. Veterans Affairs Canada. "Canada Remembers > Records & Collections > Canadian Orders, Medals and Decorations > Canadian Military Medals and Decorations > Modern Honours of Canada > Star of Courage". Queen's Printer for Canada. Retrieved 26 August 2009.
  3. Royal Canadian Mounted Police. "Honours and Recognition Programs > Canadian National Honours". Queen's Printer for Canada. Archived from the original on 23 March 2009. Retrieved 20 May 2009.
  4. Office of the Governor General of Canada. "Honours > Decorations > Decorations for Bravery > Search: Decorations for Bravery Recipients List > Level of Award: Star of Courage". Queen's Printer for Canada. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
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