Grand Orange Lodge of Western Canada

The terms for the Victoria Cross (VC) are:

"For most conspicuous bravery or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self sacrifice or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy."

Seven Orangemen have been identified as having been awarded the Victoria Cross, although many records have been lost or destroyed so this number is not certain. 

Seven known Orangemen that were awarded the Victoria Cross

On 21 December 1914 at Rouges Bancs, France, Private Acton and another soldier went out from their trench and rescued a wounded man who had been lying exposed against the enemy's trenches for 15 hours. On the same day they again left their trench under heavy fire to bring in another wounded man. They were under fire for 60 minutes whilst conveying the wounded men to safety.

He was killed in action, Festubert, France, on 16 May 1915 at the age of 22 and he has no known grave.

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Whitehaven - The Beacon (Whitehaven, Cumbria, England).

LOL 46, Fraserville, Ontario.
Canadian Chaplain Service - attached to the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry

(Later M.P.P. in Ontario and Colonel in Canadian Chaplain Service)

A tall, rugged Presbyterian minister, Honourary Major the Reverend John Weir Foote, 41, on February 12 became the 14th Canadian to be awarded the Victoria Cross in the Second Great War, and the first member of the Canadian Chaplain Services ever to win the Empire's highest award for valour.

The gallantry of the former chaplain of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment) was shown in no sudden blaze of violent action, but coolly and calmly through eight hours of the gruelling, terrible battle of Dieppe, in which, says the official citation, "with utter disregard for his own safety he exposed himself to an inferno of fire and saved many lives by his gallant efforts."

Then, at the end of his trial by fire, he climbed from the landing craft that was to have taken him to safety, and walked courageously into the German positions, that he might be taken prisoner and so minister to his men whose fate for the next three years was to be barbed wire and chains.

Thus Major Foote's heroism was a continuing thing which did not end with battle. He wore the chains with the others of that gallant Dieppe company. For three days after his capture he was marched barefooted over rocky roads and cindered railway tracks. He surrendered his rights to the preferential treatment of an officer prisoner-of-war to live in a "Stalag" and minister to the ranks, and finally he took part in that terrible 37-day march across Germany by which the Germans sought to prevent the release of British and Canadian prisoners by the advancing Russians.

The story of Major Foote's gallant deeds on the beaches of Dieppe was obscured for so long because those who knew how much he did on that bloody, bitter Aug. 19, 1942, were shut off like himself in German prison camps. Among them was Lieut.-Col. R.H. Labatt, Officer Commanding the R.H.L.I.

"No one will ever know, and I can't tell you what John Foote meant to me and the regiment," Colonel Labatt said.

It has only come out in full now, the epic story of the padre who, fully exposed to enemy fire from point-blank rifle and heavy shell, attended the wounded, administered opiates, bandaged up men and carried them to the safety of the landing craft for the whole eight hours of the Dieppe operation.

Thought for his own safety seemingly never crossed his mind.

He saved scores of lives, inspired others to save more. As each landing craft nudged the shore he was the first to carry men out to its shelter through heavy fire and refused again and again to be evacuated himself.
Finally, as evening came down over the blood-drenched beaches and the last of the landing craft arrived to evacuate troops, he refused his last chance to leave and leaped ashore after depositing the last of the wounded in the craft. His choice was to stay with the remnant of the men whom he had served for three years and go with them into the hardship of the German prison camp.

...Carrying men to the landing craft through the surf with his army boots sodden and waterlogged was slow business. So Major Foote took off his boots to speed up operations. That was why when the Germans rounded him up with others left on the beaches the R.H.L.I. padre was barefoot. And barefoot he tramped for two solid days over broken stone, along the cinder bed of railway tracks and over rough country in a march which was taxing the endurance of well shod men.

Eventually Col. Labatt managed to scrounge a pair of French army boots for him, size 13. Big and unshapely as they were, they were Major Foote's most prized possessions.

With other officers of the regiment he was taken to Oflag VII B. He did not stay long at this officers' camp. Stalags, the camps for the men, needed him more and at the first opportunity he transferred and for two years carried on his great work among the "other ranks" until released on April 25, 1945, by the British Grenadier Guards.

Official Citation
"The King has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the Victoria Cross to Honourary Captain John Weir Foote, Canadian Chaplain Services.
...Upon landing on the beach under heavy fire, he attached himself to the regimental aid post which had been set up in a slight depression on the beach, but which was only sufficient to give cover to men lying down. During the subsequent period of approximately eight hours, while action continued, the officer not only assisted the regimental medical officer in ministering to the wounded in the regimental aid post, but time and again left this shelter to inject morphine, give first aid and carry wounded personnel from the open beach to the regimental aid post. On these occasions, with utter disregard for his personal safety, Honorary Captain Foote exposed himself to an inferno of fire and saved many lives by his gallant efforts.
During the action, as the tide went out, the regimental aid post was moved to the shelter of a stranded landing craft. Honorary Captain Foote continued tirelessly and courageously to carry wounded men from the exposed beach to the cover of the landing craft. Also he removed wounded from inside the landing craft when ammunition had been set on fire by enemy shells. When landing craft appeared, he carried wounded from the regimental aid post to the landing craft through heavy fire with no consideration for his own safety.
On several occasions this officer had the opportunity to embark but returned to the beach as his chief concern was the care and evacuation of the wounded. He refused a final opportunity to leave the shore, choosing to suffer the fate of the men he had ministered to for over three years.
Honorary Captain Foote personally saved many lives by his efforts and his example inspired all around him. Those who observed him state that the calmness of this heroic man as he walked about collecting the wounded on the fire-swept beach will never be forgotten." ...

It was reported, yet kept secret, that Foote "seized a Bren gun, although wounded in the left arm, and climbed a small knoll from where he laid down fire to cover the final withdrawal of the unit."

A member of 'Ontario' LOL 2226, Vancouver, British Columbia, Bro. Hanna was an Irish born member who emigrated to Canada as a teenager.

He was 30 years old, and a Company Sergeant-Major in the 29th (Vancouver) Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.

On 21 August 1917, at Hill 70 Lens, France, CSM Hanna's company met with most severe enemy resistance at a heavily protected strong point, which had beaten off three assaults and all the officers of the company had become casualties. This warrant officer, under heavy machine-gun and rifle fire, coolly collected and led a party against the strong point, rushed through the wire and personally killed four of the enemy, capturing the position and silencing the machine-gun. This courageous action was responsible for the capture of a most important tactical point.

He later accepted the rank of Lieutenant.  He died Mount Lehman, British Columbia in 1967 and is buried at the Masonic Cemetery, Burnaby. Plot 49. Section C. Grave 2.  To this day he is thought of in Kilkeel, Ireland, and his personal sword is on the wall of Kilkeel British Legion club.

                      LOL No. 720, St. Catharines, Ontario

Graham Thomson Lyall was born in Manchester, England, on 8 March 1892, the son of the Reverend Robert Henry Lyall and Agnes Lisette Wells of Darwen, Lancashire. He was educated at Nelson Municipal Secondary School. On graduation from Secondary School, he studied mechanical engineering before emigrating to Canada in 1912. He first settled in Welland, Ontario, and then moved to Chippawa, when he took employment with the Canadian Niagara Power Company in Niagara Falls. 

Three days after the outbreak of The Great War, Lyall joined the 19th "Lincoln" Regiment in St Catharines, Ontario. He was placed on Active Duty and posted to the Welland Canal Field Force which provided guards along the canal, at hydro electric facilities in the Niagara Peninsula, and at the international bridges to the United States.

Lyall served in the 19th Regiment until September 1915 when he was accepted by the 81st Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force. That battalion recruited heavily in the Niagara area, although its headquarters were at the Exhibition Grounds in Toronto. He sailed for England with the battalion on 16 May 1916.

The 81st Battalion was broken up in England and its men sent as reinforcements to battalions already in France. The 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles had suffered 89% casualties at Sanctuary Wood, Belgium, on 2 June 1916, and the next day only 76 out of 702 men answered roll. By the end of the month 350 men, Lyall amongst them, joined 4 CMR (Toronto) as reinforcements. Lyall wrote in 1919 that he had transferred to 4 CMR as a Private, but the regimental history gives his rank on TOS as Corporal.

Lyall served with the battalion with distinction during the Battle of the Somme in September of 1916 and during the Battle of Arras, 1917. The capture of Vimy Ridge took place during this last battle, and Lyall received a battlefield commission for his conduct during the operation. He was sent to Officers' Training School at Bexhill-on-Sea, England.

On graduation, Lieutenant Lyall was posted to the 102nd (North British Columbia) Battalion, C.E.F., which had been in France for some time. The battalion was part of the 11th Canadian Infantry Brigade and took part in the Ypres campaign in 1917 and the Battle of Amiens, 1918. In September of 1918, the Canadian Corps was tasked to breach the Hindenburg Line on the Canal du Nord in a drive to capture Cambrai.

The 102nd would pass through units of the 10th Brigade after they had secured the crossing of the canal and capture the southern flank of Bourlon Wood. It was during this operation that Lyall won the Victoria Cross. His citation reads:

"War Office

14 December 1918

The King has been pleased to approve the award of the Victoria Cross to the following Officers, Warrant Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Men:- 

Lieutenant Graham Thomson Lyall

For Most conspicuous and skilful leading during the operations north of Cambrai.

On September 27th, 1918, whilst leading his platoon against Bourlon Wood, he rendered invaluable support to the leading company, which was held up by a strong point, which he captured by a flanking movement, together with thirteen prisoners and one field gun and four machine-guns. Later, his platoon, now much weakened by casualties, was held up by machine-guns at the southern end of Bourlon Wood. Collecting any men available, he led them towards the strong point, and, springing forward alone rushed the position single-handed killed the officer in charge, subsequently capturing at this point forty-five prisoners and five machine-guns. Having made good his final objective, with a further capture of forty-seven prisoners, he consolidated his position and thus protected the remainder of the company. 

On October 1st, in the neighbourhood of Blecourt, when in command of a weak company, by skilful dispositions, he captured a strongly defended position, which yielded eighty prisoners and seventeen machine-guns. During the two days of operations, Lieutenant Lyall captured in all three offices, 182 other ranks, twenty-six machine-guns, and one field gun, exclusive of heavy casualties inflicted. He showed throughout the utmost valour and high powers of command."

The Brigade recommendation for the VC stated he had captured 10 guns, not one, a fact to which he referred in a letter to the Commanding Officer of the 19th Regiment.

King George V presented Lyall with his Victoria Cross at an investiture on 15 March 1919 at Buckingham Palace. Just over a month later, Lyall married Elizabeth (Elsie) Moffat Frew, and settled in Airdrie, Scotland. He became Managing Director of Aerocrete (Scotland) Limited, a building construction industry. 

Lyall joined the British Territorial Army, and in 1939 was a Major commanding the 3rd AA Division Workshop Company, Royal Army Ordnance Corps. On outbreak of war, he was placed on Active Duty and promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. He proceeded overseas to North Africa in 1940.

In October 1941 he was promoted Colonel and appointed Commanding Officer of the 87th Lines of Communications Sub Area of the 8th Army.

He died in his sleep of a heart attack on 28 November 1941 and is buried in the Halfaya Sollum Cemetery, located on the main coastal road from Mersa Matruh, eleven miles from the Libyan border.

                     12th Battalion the Royal Irish Rifles

Citation: For most conspicuous bravery on 1 July 1916, at Hamel, the Somme. He advanced to the assault with his platoon three times. Early next morning, hearing a rumour that his platoon officer was lying wounded, he went out seven times to look for him, under heavy shell and machine-gun fire, each time bringing back a wounded man. The last man he dragged on a waterproof sheet from within yards of the enemy's wire. He was seven hours engaged in this most gallant work, and was finally so exhausted that he had to give it up.

Robert Quigg was a prominent member of Aird LOL 1195 and was also an enthusiastic musician with the local flute band which accompanied the lodge. He was a member of the Royal Black Institution, belonging to the 'William Johnston Memorial' Royal Black Preceptory No. 559.

"Gideon's Chosen Few" L.O.L. 342, Toronto

#2204279 Private Rayfield was 36 years old, and in the 7th (1st British Columbia) Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the V.C.

"From 2/4 September, 1918 during the operations east of Arras, France, Private Rayfield, ahead of his company, rushed a trench occupied by a large party of the enemy, bayoneting two and taking 10 prisoners. Later, after engaging with great skill an enemy sniper, he rushed the section of the trench from which the sniper had been operating and so demoralised the enemy that 30 others surrendered to him. Subsequently, regardless of personal safety, he left cover under heavy machine-gun fire and carried in a badly wounded comrade. 

His indomitable courage, cool foresight and daring reconnaissance were invaluable to his company commander and an inspiration to all ranks."

- The London Gazette 14 December 1918

Walter Leigh Rayfield was born at Richmond, Surrey, on Oct. 7, 1881, and attended school in London. Prior to WW I, he moved to Canada where he went into the real estate business in Vancouver. In 1914, he was twice rejected for military service, but was finally accepted by the British recruiting office in Los Angeles, Calif., and later became a member of the 7th Canadian Infantry Battalion. Besides earning the VC, he was awarded the Royal Order of the Crown of Belgium. After the war, he returned to Canada and spent some time in hospital before taking up farming. Eventually, he moved to Toronto where he served as Sergeant-at-Arms at Queen's Park. He later became governor of the Toronto Don Jail. He was commissioned and promoted to Captain in the Queen's Own Rangers.

Rayfield died in Toronto on Feb. 19, 1949, and was buried in the Soldiers Plot at Prospect Cemetery, Toronto.  His medals are in the Canadian War Museum.

Born in Cavan, Ireland,  was awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery during the Indian Mutiny and was recommended on 3 other occasions for the same award. He served in the 34th Regiment of Foot, later the Border Regiment. Private Richardson later emigrated to Canada and served with the Prince of Wales Royal Rifles of Canada seeing action during the invasion of Canada by members of Clan Na Gael.

LOL 2566, Edmonton
Canadian Chaplain Service
Anglican

Originally attached to the 138th (Edmonton) Battalion, Bro. Rev. Davis was later transferred to the 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles after the 138th was disbanded to reinforce other units.

The official history of the 4 CMR states:

Vimy Ridge, April 1917
Captain W.H. Davis, Chaplain, joined (the battalion), who at once became endeared to the men.  The first glimpse they had of their beloved Padre in action was seeing him in the twilight on the crest of the Ridge, his steel helmet hung over his arm, prayer-book in hand, burying the dead, regardless of shells dropping around him. 

Vimy Ridge, July 1917
Captain Davis, the Chaplain, was with the men as usual in the front line, doing everything he could for their comfort.  For three days he worked with a party of ten men, giving Christian burial to the dead who had been left unburied in the area; his courage and scorn of danger endeared him to all who knew him.

Passchendaele, October, 1917
Late in the afternoon by common uncommunicated consent, without notification or sanction, both sides suddenly decided on a temporary armistice to look after their wounded and dead.  It was one of those spontaneous things, arranged without agreement.  It just happened.  It suited both sides.  Some think that the Germans were probably awed by the unusual sight of Padre Davis with such a large party nonchalantly walking about and as soon as they realized what he was doing, decided to do likewise.  Suddenly large numbers of Germans got out of their trenches and commenced to search for their wounded.  The idea was mutual...

The Last Hundred Days, August, 1918
The Battalion lost their Chaplain, Captain W.H. Davis...Every officer and man mourned for their beloved Padre.  He came from Western Canada but he had retained his Irish heart and Celtic charm.  If he knew what fear was he never showed it.  His remarkable disregard for danger while carrying out what he considered his duty, became a regimental tradition.  In the daily life of the Battalion, in billets or in trenches he was always thinking of the men's welfare.  On this day as on former occasion he was preparing to carry out his practical mission of mercy and was gathering around him his little band of stretcher-bearers when he and one of his men were hit by a shell.  No officer was loved for his character or more admired for his bravery than Padre Davis.

Bro. Davis died at Amiens on August 9th, 1918 at the age of 34.  He was born in King's County, Ireland and migrated to Saskatchewan and Alberta.  He is buried at Le Quesnel Communal Cemetery, Somme, France.

Duncan William #7640 

LOL 325, Winnipeg
2nd Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. Died: November 7, 1914, Belgium. (believed to be first soldier from Canada to fall in the Great War)