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Another story on sale of medals:-
CNews 12 January 2005
WWII hero's medals go on auction block
By LES PERREAUX
QUEBEC (CP) - Foreign bidders are expected to line up for a chance to buy the medals of a Canadian hero from the Second World War who became a controversial figure in the Quebec sovereignty debate.
The family of Dollard Menard will auction off a dozen of his decorations at the end of the month after abandoning hope of getting a decent price for them - and a truckload of other memorabilia - from federal or Quebec museums.
Menard, a young senior army officer from Quebec, was wounded five times during the disastrous Dieppe Raid in 1942 but carried on leading his troops.
The war-time hero sparked controversy later in life. He was mocked by fellow former army generals when he said he would vote for Quebec sovereignty in the 1980 referendum to boost the province's bargaining power. Some hurtfully suggested his war wounds affected his judgment.
"Was he separatist? I never heard it," said Cliff Chadderton, chairman of the National Council of Veteran Associations, who served with Menard.
"He did say the Canadian government failed to recognize what French-Canadian troops did. If that's separatism, I've got it all wrong."
Chadderton noted a Canadian flag hung prominently in Menard's office when he was a general at a base near Shilo, Man.
Menard's medals are expected to draw up to $20,000 from private bidders.
"These medals will most likely end up in England or in the United States," said Abraham Rogozinsky, the head of Empire Auctions, the house that will handle the sale Jan. 23-27 in Montreal.
"If they were French or American or British, they'd be priceless. But Canada treats its heroes a little differently than most countries in the world. And it's sure a shame."
The Canadian War Museum negotiated with Menard's son, Charles Menard, for several years but could not reach an agreement. The museum does not have a budget to pay cash for acquisitions, though it does offer tax receipts.
They also could not agree on what to do with hundreds of other items collected by Menard during his military career.
The museum automatically accepts and preserves the service medals of any Canadian soldier, according to Joe Geurts, director of the museum.
"We serve as the repository for many thousands of medals, but that doesn't mean we buy them," Geurts said.
Menard's medals are not the first decorations of high-profile Canadian war heroes to face the uncertainty of sale.
Most recently, a British collector tried to buy the Victoria Cross paratrooper Cpl. Fred Topham received near the end of the Second World War.
Decorations awarded to John McCrae, author of In Flanders Field, were auctioned off in 1997. The medals of Sgt. Tommy Prince, one of Canada's most decorated soldiers, were sold in an auction in 2001. Fredrick Banting's Memorial Cross was sold in 2003.
In each case Canadians rallied to come up with thousands of dollars to buy the medals and hand them over to Canadian museums. Almost $1 million was spent in the combined efforts.
Export rules would prevent the medals from immediately leaving the country and Geurts said he believes a movement to buy them might take place if they go to a foreign bidder.
"My guess is some forces would come together to probably raise the money to keep them here," Geurts said.
"I think if citizens of the country come together and everybody including school children gets together and does this, I think it's a good thing. There is adequate protection in our policy framework to protect items of Canadian national significance."
Menard was promoted at age 29 to become one of the youngest lieutenant-colonels in the history of the British Empire in 1939.
After he was wounded and returned to Canada, Menard toured the country raising funds for the war effort. He was a hero in Quebec. Posters were printed in French bragging Menard embodied "what it takes to win." A street is named after him in Dieppe, France.
"He was the bravest of the brave and his troops would follow him anywhere," said Chadderton.
Menard died in 1993 at 83. His medals included the Distinguished Service Order and the French Legion of Honour, but he always felt the Canadian government robbed him of a Victoria Cross, according to Chadderton.
"And he was right, there is no doubt about it," Chadderton said. "It was a real insult, a slap in the face."
The cross, the highest military honour available to Canadian troops for acts of bravery, was awarded to two English-speaking soldiers for the Dieppe battle.
CNews 12 January 2005
WWII hero's medals go on auction block
By LES PERREAUX
QUEBEC (CP) - Foreign bidders are expected to line up for a chance to buy the medals of a Canadian hero from the Second World War who became a controversial figure in the Quebec sovereignty debate.
The family of Dollard Menard will auction off a dozen of his decorations at the end of the month after abandoning hope of getting a decent price for them - and a truckload of other memorabilia - from federal or Quebec museums.
Menard, a young senior army officer from Quebec, was wounded five times during the disastrous Dieppe Raid in 1942 but carried on leading his troops.
The war-time hero sparked controversy later in life. He was mocked by fellow former army generals when he said he would vote for Quebec sovereignty in the 1980 referendum to boost the province's bargaining power. Some hurtfully suggested his war wounds affected his judgment.
"Was he separatist? I never heard it," said Cliff Chadderton, chairman of the National Council of Veteran Associations, who served with Menard.
"He did say the Canadian government failed to recognize what French-Canadian troops did. If that's separatism, I've got it all wrong."
Chadderton noted a Canadian flag hung prominently in Menard's office when he was a general at a base near Shilo, Man.
Menard's medals are expected to draw up to $20,000 from private bidders.
"These medals will most likely end up in England or in the United States," said Abraham Rogozinsky, the head of Empire Auctions, the house that will handle the sale Jan. 23-27 in Montreal.
"If they were French or American or British, they'd be priceless. But Canada treats its heroes a little differently than most countries in the world. And it's sure a shame."
The Canadian War Museum negotiated with Menard's son, Charles Menard, for several years but could not reach an agreement. The museum does not have a budget to pay cash for acquisitions, though it does offer tax receipts.
They also could not agree on what to do with hundreds of other items collected by Menard during his military career.
The museum automatically accepts and preserves the service medals of any Canadian soldier, according to Joe Geurts, director of the museum.
"We serve as the repository for many thousands of medals, but that doesn't mean we buy them," Geurts said.
Menard's medals are not the first decorations of high-profile Canadian war heroes to face the uncertainty of sale.
Most recently, a British collector tried to buy the Victoria Cross paratrooper Cpl. Fred Topham received near the end of the Second World War.
Decorations awarded to John McCrae, author of In Flanders Field, were auctioned off in 1997. The medals of Sgt. Tommy Prince, one of Canada's most decorated soldiers, were sold in an auction in 2001. Fredrick Banting's Memorial Cross was sold in 2003.
In each case Canadians rallied to come up with thousands of dollars to buy the medals and hand them over to Canadian museums. Almost $1 million was spent in the combined efforts.
Export rules would prevent the medals from immediately leaving the country and Geurts said he believes a movement to buy them might take place if they go to a foreign bidder.
"My guess is some forces would come together to probably raise the money to keep them here," Geurts said.
"I think if citizens of the country come together and everybody including school children gets together and does this, I think it's a good thing. There is adequate protection in our policy framework to protect items of Canadian national significance."
Menard was promoted at age 29 to become one of the youngest lieutenant-colonels in the history of the British Empire in 1939.
After he was wounded and returned to Canada, Menard toured the country raising funds for the war effort. He was a hero in Quebec. Posters were printed in French bragging Menard embodied "what it takes to win." A street is named after him in Dieppe, France.
"He was the bravest of the brave and his troops would follow him anywhere," said Chadderton.
Menard died in 1993 at 83. His medals included the Distinguished Service Order and the French Legion of Honour, but he always felt the Canadian government robbed him of a Victoria Cross, according to Chadderton.
"And he was right, there is no doubt about it," Chadderton said. "It was a real insult, a slap in the face."
The cross, the highest military honour available to Canadian troops for acts of bravery, was awarded to two English-speaking soldiers for the Dieppe battle.
