Follow me along The Road To Valour

This is where my blog posts will appear. They will be related to what is near to my heart and to what this project is all about – for the most part. Most of the posts will be written by me, but from time to time I will have guest bloggers post on subjects near to them. If you have a topic that you think bears discussion, let me know. I can try to post on it, or I can hand my pen over to you for your insight.

Thank you for joining me on this journey.

Christmas: Sometimes, a Moment of Peace in War

The Road To Valour ride begins in just five months! While I am looking forward to getting this ride started, I have to admit to a certain degree of trepidation. Many people I have spoken with about the ride – all 2,500 km of riding and 14,000 m of climbing – have asked: Will you…
I Found it – My Theme Song

A few days ago, I was streaming some music when something new stopped me in my tracks. It wasn’t just catchy—it felt like the message behind The Road To Valour. I had to know what it was. A quick check revealed it was a fairly new song by Glass Tiger. I’ve been a fan of theirs for years—they’re almost…
Honouring Indigenous Veterans Day — Courage, Service, and Legacy

In 2021, the Governor-General declared 8 November to be Indigenous Veterans Day. This was to honour the courage and sacrifice of Canadian Indigenous Veterans — First Nations, Inuit, and Métis men and women who served our country in times of war, conflict, and peace. Long before they were recognized as citizens, Indigenous peoples volunteered to…
Ernest “Smokey” Smith, VC – Courage Beyond Measure

It’s time to start looking at some of the great Canadians who have earned the Victoria Cross (VC) — and where better to start than with the starting point of The Road To Valour, the regimental armoury of the last living Canadian living with the VC, Ernest “Smokey” Smith, VC, CM, OBC, CD When we…
The Canadian Victoria Cross – Unrecognized Valour

In my last post, I explored the Victoria Cross (VC) — its origins, its symbolism and its place as the Commonwealth’s highest award for valour in the presence of the enemy. Over the course of history, the VC has been awarded to 99 Canadians, or non-Canadians serving with Canadian forces, marking some (but, only some) of the most extraordinary acts of…
The Legacy of the Victoria Cross

Flipping through the latest issue of Legion Magazine, the bi-monthly publication of the Royal Canadian Legion (RCL), I came across an article by Canadian military historian Brad St. Croix about Lieutenant (N) Robert Hampton Gray, the last Canadian to be awarded the Victoria Cross (VC). As I read, it struck me: it was time to start exploring the story of Canada, the VC, and how it…