On March 14, Sicamous Legion hosted family and friends of Sigurd Larsen to celebrate his investiture as Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honour.
Larsen was awarded this honour by the president of the Republic of France in recognition of his participation in the Battle of Normandy and D-Day, which led to the eventual liberation of France during the Second World War.
This distinction is the highest honour the Republic of France bestows on any citizen. Legion members and the Salmon Arm Legion Colour Party formed a guard of honour and, as family and friends looked on, RCMP Sgt. Scott West and Sgt.-at-Arms Gary Ulland presented Larsen and companion Marion Brooks for the presentation.
Congratulations were extended from Branch #99 president Murray Williams and Sicamous Mayor Terry Rysz on behalf of the Legion and the Community. MLA Greg Kyllo read a letter from The consul general of France and offered his congratulations along with those of the premier and Government of B.C.
MP Colin Mayes spoke briefly, expressing congratulations from the prime minister .He noted that his father had landed on Juno Beach on D-Day and quite possibly in Larsen’s landing craft. Mayes then presented the Legion of Honour medal, acknowledging the debt of gratitude that all Canadians owed to Larsen and all who served during that conflict.
Larsen, when asked to speak, indicated that apart from thanks, he couldn’t think of much to say, but from all the nice things people were saying, “I must be a real nice guy.”
Son Don Larsen addressed the gathering, expressing the love and pride the whole family felt for his dad. Nephew, Rob Sutherland reviewed the naval wartime career of Able Seaman Sig Larsen and noted that Sig had been the inspiration for his own successful career in the Canadian Army.
“Sid is my special hero who inspired me throughout my own military career,” said Sutherland. “Many times, while home on leave from the Army, I sat in his barber chair with that old Navy guy threatening to give me a Navy haircut. I didn’t know what that meant, but whatever it was, I didn’t want to explain it to my company sergeant-major when I got back to my unit.”
The ceremony concluded with the presentation of Knight of the National Legion of Honour, Able Seaman Sigurd Larsen to the assembly of family and friends.
For his service in the Second World War, Larsen was awarded the 1939-1945 Star, the Italy Star, the France/Germany Medal W/bar, the Atlantic Star, the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal W/bar and the 1939-1945 Mediterranean Star, as well as the recent rank of Knight of the National Order of the Legion for his actions on D-Day, June 6, 1944.
Sutherland noted that after returning to Canada from the conflict in Europe, Larsen volunteered for the Pacific War in Japan. He had been posted to the Glendon naval tug in Vancouver in preparation for the assault.
“This assault would likely have resulted in many more thousands of Allied casualties and deaths,” said Sutherland. “But again, Sid and many others like him did not think about their own well-being. They needed to help end that war.”
Larsen, however, never joined the conflict. The dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Aug. 6 and 9, 1945, and Japan’s subsequent surrender, brought the Second World War to an end.
