Canada's last VC winner passes away

[Boff]

Today Canada's last surving winner of the VC passed away. Sergeant Ernest Alvia "Smokey" Smith was 91.

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Sergeant Ernest Alvia "Smokey" Smith, Canada's last surviving winner of the Victoria Cross for conspicuous battlefield bravery, died on Wednesday at the age of 91, military officials said.

Smith was a private when he won the Victoria Cross -- the British Commonwealth's top military honor -- during the battle for the Savio River in Italy on Oct. 21 and 22, 1944.

When Smith's unit was attacked by three German tanks, he destroyed one of the vehicles with an anti-tank weapon and then used his submachine gun to drive off enemy infantry.

"His conspicuous bravery, initiative and leadership in the face of enemy fire during World War II inspired fellow Canadians everywhere -- in action and on the home front," Prime Minister Paul Martin said in a statement.

Smith died in the western Canadian city of Vancouver. He is survived by a son and a daughter.

I met him once through cadets too..such a nice guy.

Though a funny little side note, he made Cpl. 6 times, and everytime was busted back down to private.

Source

[Commander CMG]

May he rest in peace.