CANADIAN WAR MUSEUM ACQUIRES VICTORIA CROSS

The Canadian War Museum announced Monday that it has acquired another Victoria Cross to add to its Hill 70 collection thanks to a donation from the Hill 70 Memorial project.

The medal, the highest honour bestowed to a combatant of a Commonwealth military organization, was awarded to Lt. Robert Hill Hanna of B Company of the 29th Infantry Battalion for “outstanding gallantry, personal courage and determined leading of his company.” The medal is the fourth that the museum has acquired. Six in total were awarded to Canadians.

The cross was acquired by the Hill 70 Memorial Project in which Cyril Woods is a founding member. Woods is a philanthropist who has worked to memorialize the battle of Hill 70 and those who served and perished in the battle, including Robert Hanna.

“It’s unbelievable and I’m very proud, ” said Cyril Woods as the medal was officially handed over to the Canadian War Museum.

Woods felt a strong connection to Hanna, which is why he came forward with an undisclosed amount of money to help purchase the medal.

The museum is currently working on plans to display the Hill 70 Victoria Cross medals to be unveiled in 2019. According to Eric Feinberg, collections specialist at the museum, there have been 99 Victoria Crosses awarded to Canadians since 1856 and the museum has acquired 39 of them.

“This is the story of our Canadian military, this is valour and heroism. It’s something that really speaks to the deep commitment of our service personnel who were fighting for Canada. (A Victoria Cross) is the one mark that stands out above all.”

To read the complete article, see:
Canadian War Museum now has four of the six Victoria Crosses awarded to Canadians at Hill 70 (https://globalnews.ca/news/4677696/hill-70-victoria-cross-canada/)

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