Local War Veteran Recieves Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal By Clarence Michon

On Friday August 17th local Korean war veteran Lloyd Michon was formally invited to board the HMSC Ville De Quebec docked in Thunder Bay harbour to attend a ceremony to receive a new commemorative medal created to mark the 2012 celebrations of the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth IIs accession to the Throne as Queen of Canada. The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal is a tangible way for Canada to

honour Her Majesty for her service to this country. At the same time, it serves to honour significant contributions and achievements by Canadians. Nominated by his nephew Eugene Frank Michon also in attendance Mr. Michon graciously accepted the medal. In addition to the medal Mr. Michon has also received an official certificate issued by the Governor General of Canada. In total, only 60 000 deserving Canadians will have received the award. In part of meeting the criteria for receiving the medal an individual has to have made a significant contribution to a particular province, territory, region or community within Canada, or an achievement abroad that brings credit to Canada. Mr. Michon, a long time resident of Geraldton since the town's mining heydays, now enjoys his retirement. However, his journey as a Korean War veteran began in 1950 when he and friend at the tender age of 17 set out to join the Army. Living in Macdairmid at the time he and his friend boarded the train to Winnipeg to enlist for the Korean War. It was there he became a member of the Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry. Thereafter, he served in the Korean war between 1951 through to 1953. Mr. Michon has since received many accolades for his service. It was only last year he also received a formal letter from the Lee Myung-bak, the President of the Korean Republic commemorating the sixtieth anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War honoring Canadians for their selfless sacrifice in fighting tyranny and aggression. The medal itself depicts a crowned image of the Sovereign, in whose name the medal is bestowed. The reverse marks the sixtieth, or diamond, anniversary of the accession to the Throne of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The anniversary is expressed by the central diamond shape, by the background composed of a pattern of diamonds, and by the two dates. The Royal Cypher consists of the Royal Crown above the letters EIIR (i.e., Elizabeth II Regina, the latter word meaning Queen in Latin). The maple leaves refer to Canada, while the motto VIVAT REGINA means Long live The Queen! The ribbon uses a new arrangement of the blue, red and white colours found in the 1953 Coronation Medal, the 1977 Silver Jubilee Medal, and the 2002 Golden Jubilee Medal.

Congratulation Mr. Michon!