Tommy Prince
Encyclopedia
Thomas George "Tommy" Prince, MM
(October 25, 1915–November 25, 1977) was one of Canada
's most decorated First Nations
soldiers, serving in World War II
and the Korean War
.
, Canada
, he was one of eleven children of Henry and Arabella Prince of the Ojibw'e Nation
at the Brokenhead reservation in Scanterbury, Manitoba. He was a descendant of the Indian chief, Peguis
, who had led his nation from Sault Ste. Marie
to the southern end of Lake Winnipeg
in the late 1790s, keeping their French name, the Saulteaux
.
Growing up, Prince became a superb marksman with exceptional tracking skills learned from countless days spent hunting in the wilderness around his Indian reserve
. He attended Elkhorn Residential School
, completing grade eight. After leaving school, he was employed at a variety of manual labor positions but primarily as a tree feller.
Prince volunteered to fight with the Canadian Army and although Prince easily met the requirements for recruitment, he was turned down several times before he was finally accepted on June 3, 1940. He was originally a member of the Royal Canadian Engineers, trained as a sapper
. He volunteered for duty with a parachute unit designated the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion. This designation was used to disguise the true reason for the recruitment of parachute volunteers in the UK at that time. the United States and Canada had begun the formation of a special force to conduct sabotage in Norway. Men were recruited in Canada and the overseas army for this Force dubbed the First Special Service Force. The Canadians involved with this training continued to be on strength of their prior units. Although later dubbed the 2nd Canadian Parachute Battalion for administrative purposes, the unit did not actually exist. Prince then reported to the U.K.'s parachute school at RAF Ringway
, near Manchester
. He was promoted to Lance Corporal in February 1941.
In September 1942 Prince returned to Canada and joined the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion
(1CPB), and was promoted to sergeant. It was determined by the CO of the Force that no more men could be absorbed from the UK due to lack of time to prepare the men for their mission. The Canadians then decided to go ahead with the actual raising of the 1CPB. Prince volunteered for this unit and proceeded to Fort Benning Georgia where they were forming. Shortly after, the Force mission to Norway had been cancelled. By December 1942 other alternative operations for the Force were being proposed. The Canadians were well below strength due to injuries in training and washouts. The Canadians then agreed to bolster the Force by allowing men from the growing 1CPB to volunteer for the Force. Between December 1942 and the beginning of 1943 some men decided to make a move to the Force. Prince was one of these men. Not only did he parachute train in the UK method but he also received US parachute training. Although the Force was not technically a parachute unit, the CO of the Force, Colonel Robert T. Frederick wanted his men familiar with parachute training should a parachute descent be required in future operations. Prince, and the other men of this unit were originally chosen for their rugged outdoor backgrounds and received a rigorous training schedule, often under live fire. All members of this elite squad received intense instruction in stealth tactics, hand-to-hand combat, the use of explosives for demolition, amphibious warfare, rock climbing and mountain fighting, and as ski troops. Prince became a "Reconnaissance Sergeant" or in the Force table of organization a "Scout", responsible for moving into forward positions and reporting on the movements of the enemy.
The SSF moved to Italy
in November 1943. They would take part in the clearing of the Bernhard or Winter Line preventing the Allied push towards Rome. They attacked and captured Monte la Difensa, Hill 720, Monte Majo, and Monte Vischiataro in December and January. They were then moved to Anzio
. On February 8, 1944, near Littoria, Italy, Prince was sent forward to report the location of several German assembly points, including artillery positions. He set up in an abandoned farmhouse about 200 metres from the enemy assembly area, well behind enemy lines, with 1,400 metres of telephone wire connecting him to the force. He had a clear view of the enemy's emplacements and promptly reported them. An artillery duel followed as the Allies attempted to knock out the guns reported by Prince, and one of these rounds cut the telephone wire. The duel died down as a result. Prince donned civilian clothing, grabbed a hoe and, in full view of German soldiers, pretended to be a farmer weeding his crops. He slowly inched his way along the line till he found where it was damaged, then, pretending to tie his shoelaces, rejoined the wires. After finishing the repairs, he made a show of shaking his fist at the nearby Germans, then again toward the Allied lines. Returning to his lookout spot, he continued his reports, and over the next 24 hours four German batteries were knocked out of action. In all he spent three days behind enemy lines. For this action, Prince was awarded the Military Medal
, his citation reading (in part) "Sergeant Prince's courage and utter disregard for personal safety were an inspiration to his fellows and a marked credit to his unit."
After being the vanguard of the US Forces liberating Rome on 4 June 1944, the SSF was moved to southern France as part of Operation Dragoon
. First they would assault the Hyeres Islands before going ashore at Sylvabelle on the French Riviera. There the Force was ordered,as part of the 1st Airborne Task Force, to push eastward towards the Franco-Italian border. On September 1, Prince and a private were sent forward through the German lines to scout their positions near L'Escarène
and came across an encampment area of an enemy reserve battalion. On the way back to report, Prince and the private came upon a battle between some Germans and a squad of French partisans. They started sniping the Germans, who eventually withdrew. When Prince made contact with the French leader, he asked Prince where his company was located, when Prince pointed to the private and said "Here," the French commander exclaimed that he thought there were fifty of them. The French commander recommended Prince for the Croix de Guerre
, but the courier was killed en route and the message never reached the French Commander-in-Chief, Charles de Gaulle
.
Prince continued on to reach his unit. He then personally led the unit back to the encampment and joined in the battle, which resulted in the capture of the entire battalion, about 1000 men. From start to end, Prince had been without food, water or sleep for 72 hours and had walked over 70 km across rugged, mountainous terrain. Afterward, Prince was recommended for the Silver Star
, his citation reading:
After it was determined that both US and Canadian personnel would be better suited if they were dispersed to units in their own forces, the 1st Special Service Force was disbanded in December 1944. After returning to the UK, Prince was summoned to Buckingham Palace
on February 12, 1945 where King George VI
presented him with his Military Medal. He asked the CO of the 1st Canadian Special Service Battalion Lieutenant Colonel Jack Akehurst to accompany him. Once it was determined in early 1943 that the force was to be sent into action the Canadian Government had to promulgate a unit so that matters of promotions and permanent transfers to the unit could be made. This unit was promulgated in April–May 1943 as the 1st Canadian Special Service Battalion. Prince would later receive his Silver Star
on behalf of the American President
from US General Koening on April 24, 1945. In all, Tommy Prince was decorated nine times, the most of any aboriginal soldier in the war. The war in Europe ended while Prince was in England.
With the assistance from the Department of Veteran's Affairs
, he established his own cleaning service with a half-ton panel truck and cleaning supplies and, for a time, prospered. He married Verna Sinclair, with whom he had five children.
In 1946 he was elected chairman of the Manitoba Indian Association. Entrusting his business to friends, Prince devoted his time to working with government to improve the conditions for Native peoples
. He worked with the association to lobby Ottawa for changes to the Indian Act. While some revisions were made, little actual improvement followed. Frustrated with the red tape of Ottawa, he returned to Winnipeg to discover that the cleaning business he'd entrusted to friends had failed in his absence after they crashed the truck and sold it for scrap metal. With no recourse, Prince returned to the lumber camps and worked at a local concrete factory in the summers.
troops in the Korean War
. As he later commented, "As soon as I put on my uniform I felt a better man." Re-instated with his previous rank of Sergeant, Prince was now a member of the 2nd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
(2 PPCLI), the first Canadian regiment to arrive in the war zone.
In February 1951, the Patricias joined the 27th Commonwealth Brigade on the battlefield. Soon after arriving in the war zone, the sergeant, who was second in command of a rifle platoon, led an evening "snatch patrol" of eight men into an enemy camp. The raid was a success; the group returned before dawn with two captured machine-guns. More raids followed. However, according to the authors of a biography of Prince, he was eventually assigned fewer patrols, because his commanding officer thought Prince took too many chances that might risk the lives of the soldiers under his command.
Prince was present with the 2 PPCLI when, together with the 3rd Royal Australian Regiment, it was awarded the United States Presidential Unit Citation for distinguished service in the Battle of Kapyong
on April 24 and 25, 1951. The Patricias were to hold a defensive position at Hill 677 so that a South Korean division could withdraw during an attack by Chinese and North Korean forces. Although at one point the battalion was completely surrounded, resupply of ammunition and emergency rations was accomplished by air and the 2 PPCLI held its ground.Ten PPCLI men were killed and 23 were wounded during the two-day battle.
Prince's wartime duty was taking a toll on his body, and his knees were subject to painful swelling and premature arthritis
. After a medical examination in May 1951, he was hospitalized and then assigned administrative duties. In August he returned to Canada. Prince remained on active service as an administrative sergeant at Canadian Forces Base Borden in Ontario. Here his knees improved, so in March 1952 he volunteered for a second tour of duty in the Far East. He sailed for Korea that October with the 3rd Battalion PPCLI.
In November 1952, the training of the 3 PPCLI in Korea was interrupted by a Chinese attack on "the Hook" (better known for the later Battle of the Hook
), a key position west of the Sami-chon River that overlooked much of the rear areas of the U.N. forces. When a Chinese battalion gained a foothold on the forward positions of another U.N. unit on November 18, the 3rd PPCLI was ordered to help defend the sector. By dawn of the 19th, the U.N. unit, with assistance from the Patricias, had recaptured the post. Five Patricias were killed on the Hook and nine were wounded, one of whom was Prince. Prince recovered from his injury, but his knees continued to be a more serious problem, and between January and April he spent several weeks in hospital. The armistice was signed during this period.
He received the Korea Medal, the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and the United Nations Service Medal. Following the s:Korean Armistice Agreement, he remained in the army, working as an instructor of new recruits in Winnipeg, Manitoba, until his honorable discharge on October 28, 1953. He continued to work at a Winnipeg personnel depot in Winnipeg, until September 1954.
knees as a result of the long, harsh conditions during his military service, his capabilities were limited. Coupled with the discrimination
seen against Native people at the time, his life became increasingly difficult, ultimately ending in his estrangement from his family.
In June 1955, Tommy Prince made the news for his heroism in saving a man from drowning at the Alexander Docks in Winnipeg. But his personal life kept deteriorating and alcoholism
overtook him resulting in his final years being spent virtually alone, living in a Salvation Army
hostel
. In order to support himself, he sold off his medals.
Prince died at the Deer Lodge Hospital in Winnipeg in 1977 and was interred in the Brookside Cemetery.
Prince's medals changed hands several times before coming up for auction in London, Ontario
. His nephew, Jim Bear, organized a pledge drive and purchased the medals, entrusting them to the Manitoba Museum
in Winnipeg.
Since his passing, a number of honors have been bestowed in his name. Some of them are:
On February 10, 2010 It was announced that Canadian actor Adam Beach will portray the Canadian war hero in an upcoming movie about his life. According to Bay Film Studios, the movie will be a "true account of Canada's most highly decorated First Nations soldier." Beach, 37, said he is honoured to portray Prince, calling him a positive role model for all First Nations.
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
(October 25, 1915–November 25, 1977) was one of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
's most decorated First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
soldiers, serving in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
.
Early life
Born in ManitobaManitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, he was one of eleven children of Henry and Arabella Prince of the Ojibw'e Nation
Ojibwa
The Ojibwe or Chippewa are among the largest groups of Native Americans–First Nations north of Mexico. They are divided between Canada and the United States. In Canada, they are the third-largest population among First Nations, surpassed only by Cree and Inuit...
at the Brokenhead reservation in Scanterbury, Manitoba. He was a descendant of the Indian chief, Peguis
Peguis
Pequis was a Saulteaux chief, who moved from the Great Lakes area to Red Lake, Minnesota, then arriving in southern Manitoba in the 1790s. In 1817 he signed the first treaty with Lord Selkirk, granting land along the Red River to the Selkirk settlers...
, who had led his nation from Sault Ste. Marie
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Sault Ste. Marie is a city on the St. Marys River in Algoma District, Ontario, Canada. It is the third largest city in Northern Ontario, after Sudbury and Thunder Bay, with a population of 74,948. The community was founded as a French religious mission: Sault either means "jump" or "rapids" in...
to the southern end of Lake Winnipeg
Lake Winnipeg
Lake Winnipeg is a large, lake in central North America, in the province of Manitoba, Canada, with its southern tip about north of the city of Winnipeg...
in the late 1790s, keeping their French name, the Saulteaux
Saulteaux
The Saulteaux are a First Nation in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, Canada.-Ethnic classification:The Saulteaux are a branch of the Ojibwe nations. They are sometimes also called Anihšināpē . Saulteaux is a French term meaning "people of the rapids," referring to...
.
Growing up, Prince became a superb marksman with exceptional tracking skills learned from countless days spent hunting in the wilderness around his Indian reserve
Indian reserve
In Canada, an Indian reserve is specified by the Indian Act as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band." The Act also specifies that land reserved for the use and benefit of a band which is not...
. He attended Elkhorn Residential School
Residential school
Residential school may refer to:* Canadian Indian residential school system* a term used to describe boarding schools*A residential treatment center for people with addictions or severe mental illnesses...
, completing grade eight. After leaving school, he was employed at a variety of manual labor positions but primarily as a tree feller.
World War II
At the outbreak of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Prince volunteered to fight with the Canadian Army and although Prince easily met the requirements for recruitment, he was turned down several times before he was finally accepted on June 3, 1940. He was originally a member of the Royal Canadian Engineers, trained as a sapper
Sapper
A sapper, pioneer or combat engineer is a combatant soldier who performs a wide variety of combat engineering duties, typically including, but not limited to, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, demolitions, field defences, general construction and building, as well as road and airfield...
. He volunteered for duty with a parachute unit designated the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion. This designation was used to disguise the true reason for the recruitment of parachute volunteers in the UK at that time. the United States and Canada had begun the formation of a special force to conduct sabotage in Norway. Men were recruited in Canada and the overseas army for this Force dubbed the First Special Service Force. The Canadians involved with this training continued to be on strength of their prior units. Although later dubbed the 2nd Canadian Parachute Battalion for administrative purposes, the unit did not actually exist. Prince then reported to the U.K.'s parachute school at RAF Ringway
RAF Ringway
RAF Ringway, was a Royal Air Force station near Manchester, UK, in the parish of Ringway, then in Cheshire. It was operational from 1939 until 1957.-Prewar years:...
, near Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. He was promoted to Lance Corporal in February 1941.
In September 1942 Prince returned to Canada and joined the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion
1st Canadian Parachute Battalion
The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion was formed in July 1942 during the Second World War; it served in North West Europe. Landing in Normandy on D Day, June 6, 1944 and in the airborne assault crossing of the River Rhine, Operation Varsity...
(1CPB), and was promoted to sergeant. It was determined by the CO of the Force that no more men could be absorbed from the UK due to lack of time to prepare the men for their mission. The Canadians then decided to go ahead with the actual raising of the 1CPB. Prince volunteered for this unit and proceeded to Fort Benning Georgia where they were forming. Shortly after, the Force mission to Norway had been cancelled. By December 1942 other alternative operations for the Force were being proposed. The Canadians were well below strength due to injuries in training and washouts. The Canadians then agreed to bolster the Force by allowing men from the growing 1CPB to volunteer for the Force. Between December 1942 and the beginning of 1943 some men decided to make a move to the Force. Prince was one of these men. Not only did he parachute train in the UK method but he also received US parachute training. Although the Force was not technically a parachute unit, the CO of the Force, Colonel Robert T. Frederick wanted his men familiar with parachute training should a parachute descent be required in future operations. Prince, and the other men of this unit were originally chosen for their rugged outdoor backgrounds and received a rigorous training schedule, often under live fire. All members of this elite squad received intense instruction in stealth tactics, hand-to-hand combat, the use of explosives for demolition, amphibious warfare, rock climbing and mountain fighting, and as ski troops. Prince became a "Reconnaissance Sergeant" or in the Force table of organization a "Scout", responsible for moving into forward positions and reporting on the movements of the enemy.
The SSF moved to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in November 1943. They would take part in the clearing of the Bernhard or Winter Line preventing the Allied push towards Rome. They attacked and captured Monte la Difensa, Hill 720, Monte Majo, and Monte Vischiataro in December and January. They were then moved to Anzio
Anzio
Anzio is a city and comune on the coast of the Lazio region of Italy, about south of Rome.Well known for its seaside harbour setting, it is a fishing port and a departure point for ferries and hydroplanes to the Pontine Islands of Ponza, Palmarola and Ventotene...
. On February 8, 1944, near Littoria, Italy, Prince was sent forward to report the location of several German assembly points, including artillery positions. He set up in an abandoned farmhouse about 200 metres from the enemy assembly area, well behind enemy lines, with 1,400 metres of telephone wire connecting him to the force. He had a clear view of the enemy's emplacements and promptly reported them. An artillery duel followed as the Allies attempted to knock out the guns reported by Prince, and one of these rounds cut the telephone wire. The duel died down as a result. Prince donned civilian clothing, grabbed a hoe and, in full view of German soldiers, pretended to be a farmer weeding his crops. He slowly inched his way along the line till he found where it was damaged, then, pretending to tie his shoelaces, rejoined the wires. After finishing the repairs, he made a show of shaking his fist at the nearby Germans, then again toward the Allied lines. Returning to his lookout spot, he continued his reports, and over the next 24 hours four German batteries were knocked out of action. In all he spent three days behind enemy lines. For this action, Prince was awarded the Military Medal
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
, his citation reading (in part) "Sergeant Prince's courage and utter disregard for personal safety were an inspiration to his fellows and a marked credit to his unit."
After being the vanguard of the US Forces liberating Rome on 4 June 1944, the SSF was moved to southern France as part of Operation Dragoon
Operation Dragoon
Operation Dragoon was the Allied invasion of southern France on August 15, 1944, during World War II. The invasion was initiated via a parachute drop by the 1st Airborne Task Force, followed by an amphibious assault by elements of the U.S. Seventh Army, followed a day later by a force made up...
. First they would assault the Hyeres Islands before going ashore at Sylvabelle on the French Riviera. There the Force was ordered,as part of the 1st Airborne Task Force, to push eastward towards the Franco-Italian border. On September 1, Prince and a private were sent forward through the German lines to scout their positions near L'Escarène
L'Escarène
L'Escarène is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.It was part of the historic County of Nice until 1860 as Scarena.-Population:-References:*...
and came across an encampment area of an enemy reserve battalion. On the way back to report, Prince and the private came upon a battle between some Germans and a squad of French partisans. They started sniping the Germans, who eventually withdrew. When Prince made contact with the French leader, he asked Prince where his company was located, when Prince pointed to the private and said "Here," the French commander exclaimed that he thought there were fifty of them. The French commander recommended Prince for the Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
, but the courier was killed en route and the message never reached the French Commander-in-Chief, Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
.
Prince continued on to reach his unit. He then personally led the unit back to the encampment and joined in the battle, which resulted in the capture of the entire battalion, about 1000 men. From start to end, Prince had been without food, water or sleep for 72 hours and had walked over 70 km across rugged, mountainous terrain. Afterward, Prince was recommended for the Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
, his citation reading:
After it was determined that both US and Canadian personnel would be better suited if they were dispersed to units in their own forces, the 1st Special Service Force was disbanded in December 1944. After returning to the UK, Prince was summoned to Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
on February 12, 1945 where King George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
presented him with his Military Medal. He asked the CO of the 1st Canadian Special Service Battalion Lieutenant Colonel Jack Akehurst to accompany him. Once it was determined in early 1943 that the force was to be sent into action the Canadian Government had to promulgate a unit so that matters of promotions and permanent transfers to the unit could be made. This unit was promulgated in April–May 1943 as the 1st Canadian Special Service Battalion. Prince would later receive his Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
on behalf of the American President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
from US General Koening on April 24, 1945. In all, Tommy Prince was decorated nine times, the most of any aboriginal soldier in the war. The war in Europe ended while Prince was in England.
After the war
Prince was honorably discharged on June 15, 1945 and returned to his home on the Brokenhead reserve. He worked in a pulpwood camps and was a heavy drinker on weekends. In 1946, at a dance a woman attacked him with a broken beer bottle and badly cut his right cheek requiring 64 stitches. It was a major turning point for Prince. He resolved to leave the reserve and get a job in Winnipeg.With the assistance from the Department of Veteran's Affairs
Veterans Affairs Canada
The Department of Veterans Affairs , also referred to as Veterans Affairs Canada , is the department within the government of Canada with responsibility for pensions/benefits and services for war veterans, retired personnel of the Canadian Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police, their families,...
, he established his own cleaning service with a half-ton panel truck and cleaning supplies and, for a time, prospered. He married Verna Sinclair, with whom he had five children.
In 1946 he was elected chairman of the Manitoba Indian Association. Entrusting his business to friends, Prince devoted his time to working with government to improve the conditions for Native peoples
Aboriginal peoples in Canada
Aboriginal peoples in Canada comprise the First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The descriptors "Indian" and "Eskimo" have fallen into disuse in Canada and are commonly considered pejorative....
. He worked with the association to lobby Ottawa for changes to the Indian Act. While some revisions were made, little actual improvement followed. Frustrated with the red tape of Ottawa, he returned to Winnipeg to discover that the cleaning business he'd entrusted to friends had failed in his absence after they crashed the truck and sold it for scrap metal. With no recourse, Prince returned to the lumber camps and worked at a local concrete factory in the summers.
Korea
In August 1950, Prince re-enlisted in the Canadian Army to fight with the United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
troops in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. As he later commented, "As soon as I put on my uniform I felt a better man." Re-instated with his previous rank of Sergeant, Prince was now a member of the 2nd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry is one of the three regular force infantry regiments of the Canadian Army. The regiment is composed of four battalions including a primary reserve battalion, for a total of 2,000 soldiers...
(2 PPCLI), the first Canadian regiment to arrive in the war zone.
In February 1951, the Patricias joined the 27th Commonwealth Brigade on the battlefield. Soon after arriving in the war zone, the sergeant, who was second in command of a rifle platoon, led an evening "snatch patrol" of eight men into an enemy camp. The raid was a success; the group returned before dawn with two captured machine-guns. More raids followed. However, according to the authors of a biography of Prince, he was eventually assigned fewer patrols, because his commanding officer thought Prince took too many chances that might risk the lives of the soldiers under his command.
Prince was present with the 2 PPCLI when, together with the 3rd Royal Australian Regiment, it was awarded the United States Presidential Unit Citation for distinguished service in the Battle of Kapyong
Battle of Kapyong
The Battle of Kapyong , also known as the Battle of Jiaping , was fought during the Korean War between United Nations forces—primarily Australian and Canadian—and the Chinese communist People's Volunteer Army...
on April 24 and 25, 1951. The Patricias were to hold a defensive position at Hill 677 so that a South Korean division could withdraw during an attack by Chinese and North Korean forces. Although at one point the battalion was completely surrounded, resupply of ammunition and emergency rations was accomplished by air and the 2 PPCLI held its ground.Ten PPCLI men were killed and 23 were wounded during the two-day battle.
Prince's wartime duty was taking a toll on his body, and his knees were subject to painful swelling and premature arthritis
Arthritis
Arthritis is a form of joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints....
. After a medical examination in May 1951, he was hospitalized and then assigned administrative duties. In August he returned to Canada. Prince remained on active service as an administrative sergeant at Canadian Forces Base Borden in Ontario. Here his knees improved, so in March 1952 he volunteered for a second tour of duty in the Far East. He sailed for Korea that October with the 3rd Battalion PPCLI.
In November 1952, the training of the 3 PPCLI in Korea was interrupted by a Chinese attack on "the Hook" (better known for the later Battle of the Hook
Battle of the Hook
The third Battle of the Hook was a battle of the Korean War that took place between a United Nations force, consisting mostly of British troops, supported on their flanks by American and Turkish artillery units against a predominantly Chinese force...
), a key position west of the Sami-chon River that overlooked much of the rear areas of the U.N. forces. When a Chinese battalion gained a foothold on the forward positions of another U.N. unit on November 18, the 3rd PPCLI was ordered to help defend the sector. By dawn of the 19th, the U.N. unit, with assistance from the Patricias, had recaptured the post. Five Patricias were killed on the Hook and nine were wounded, one of whom was Prince. Prince recovered from his injury, but his knees continued to be a more serious problem, and between January and April he spent several weeks in hospital. The armistice was signed during this period.
He received the Korea Medal, the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and the United Nations Service Medal. Following the s:Korean Armistice Agreement, he remained in the army, working as an instructor of new recruits in Winnipeg, Manitoba, until his honorable discharge on October 28, 1953. He continued to work at a Winnipeg personnel depot in Winnipeg, until September 1954.
Civilian life again
Adjusting to civilian life had not been easy for Prince after World War II, and with painfully arthriticArthritis
Arthritis is a form of joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints....
knees as a result of the long, harsh conditions during his military service, his capabilities were limited. Coupled with the discrimination
Discrimination
Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
seen against Native people at the time, his life became increasingly difficult, ultimately ending in his estrangement from his family.
In June 1955, Tommy Prince made the news for his heroism in saving a man from drowning at the Alexander Docks in Winnipeg. But his personal life kept deteriorating and alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
overtook him resulting in his final years being spent virtually alone, living in a Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
hostel
Hostel
Hostels provide budget oriented, sociable accommodation where guests can rent a bed, usually a bunk bed, in a dormitory and share a bathroom, lounge and sometimes a kitchen. Rooms can be mixed or single-sex, although private rooms may also be available...
. In order to support himself, he sold off his medals.
Prince died at the Deer Lodge Hospital in Winnipeg in 1977 and was interred in the Brookside Cemetery.
Prince's medals changed hands several times before coming up for auction in London, Ontario
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
. His nephew, Jim Bear, organized a pledge drive and purchased the medals, entrusting them to the Manitoba Museum
Manitoba Museum
The Manitoba Museum, previously the Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature is the largest museum in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.The museum is the largest heritage centre in Manitoba and the world and focuses on human and natural heritage. It has planetarium shows and a Science Gallery hall...
in Winnipeg.
Since his passing, a number of honors have been bestowed in his name. Some of them are:
- Sgt. Tommy Prince Street - Winnipeg, Manitoba;
- Sgt Tommy Prince School - Scanterbury, Manitoba
- The "Tommy Prince Barracks" at Canadian Forces Base, Petawawa, OntarioPetawawa, OntarioPetawawa is a town located in eastern portion of Southern Ontario. Situated in the Ottawa Valley, with a population of 14,651 . Petawawa is the most populous municipality in Renfrew County.-Geography:...
; - The "Tommy Prince Drill Hall" at the Land Force Western Area Training Centre in Wainwright, AlbertaWainwright, AlbertaWainwright is a town on the prairies of east-central Alberta, Canada.It is located on the north side of the Canadian National Railway, with CFB Wainwright located on the southwest side. The town lies south of Vermilion, in the Battle River valley, along Highway 41, called the Buffalo Trail....
; - Government of Canada "Sergeant Tommy Prince Army Training Initiative" for aboriginal recruiting;
- The "Tommy Prince Award": An Assembly of First NationsAssembly of First NationsThe Assembly of First Nations , formerly known as the National Indian Brotherhood, is a body of First Nations leaders in Canada...
scholarship; - The "Tommy Prince Scholarship" at Sault College, Sault Ste. Marie, OntarioSault Ste. Marie, OntarioSault Ste. Marie is a city on the St. Marys River in Algoma District, Ontario, Canada. It is the third largest city in Northern Ontario, after Sudbury and Thunder Bay, with a population of 74,948. The community was founded as a French religious mission: Sault either means "jump" or "rapids" in...
; - 553 Sgt. Tommy Prince PPCLI Cadet Corps, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
- Tommy Prince Road in the Valour Park/Victoria Cross Park - a mixed-use development of Currie Barracks in Calgary, Alberta (2010)
On February 10, 2010 It was announced that Canadian actor Adam Beach will portray the Canadian war hero in an upcoming movie about his life. According to Bay Film Studios, the movie will be a "true account of Canada's most highly decorated First Nations soldier." Beach, 37, said he is honoured to portray Prince, calling him a positive role model for all First Nations.
See also
- Fallen Hero: The Tommy Prince Story (1999) - Film
- Manitobans in Profile: Thomas George Prince (1981) - Book
- Prince's Medals at the Canadian War Museum
External links
- Prince, Tommy in the Canadian Encyclopedia
- Tommy Prince, Canadian Hero, feature article at the Youth Encyclopedia of Canada
- http://www.histori.ca/minutes/minute.do?id=14741 Heritage MinuteHeritage MinuteHeritage Minutes, also known officially as Historica Minutes: History by the Minute, are sixty-second short films, each illustrating an important moment in Canadian history. They appear frequently on Canadian television and in cinemas before movies...
video featuring Tommy Prince