On April 20, Governor General David Johnston presented two Stars of Courage and 36 Medals of Bravery at a ceremony at Rideau Hall.
Among the recipients was Royal Canadian Air Force member Sergeant Kent Gulliford, of Kamloops, B.C., and Gander, N.L., who received the Medal of Bravery.
His citation read as follows:
“On April 24, 2009, Sergeant Kent Gulliford rescued an injured backcountry skier who had fallen into a deep crevice on Mount Compton Glacier, northeast of Vancouver, British Columbia. Sergeant Gulliford was the search and rescue team leader aboard the Cormorant helicopter tasked to locate and rescue the victim. In complete darkness, the Cormorant was kept in a hover position over the steep face of the glacier, while two of the victim’s companions were hoisted aboard. Sergeant Gulliford was then lowered into the 30-metre crevice where he located the injured victim. It was a complex operation for him to get them both hoisted up to the helicopter without further incident. Sadly, the victim did not survive.”
The Decorations for Bravery were created in 1972, to recognize people who risked their lives to try to save or protect the lives of others. The Cross of Valour (C.V.) recognizes acts of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme peril; the Star of Courage (S.C.) recognizes acts of conspicuous courage in circumstances of great peril; and the Medal of Bravery (M.B.) recognizes acts of bravery in hazardous circumstances.
To see a list of all the recipients and their citations, visit www.gg.ca/document.aspx?id=14479
For more about Canadian decorations for bravery, visit www.gg.ca/document.aspx?id=73.
