Renowned for his breathtaking courage and legendary talent with a sniper rifle, Francis Pegahmagabow was a soldier and Indigenous leader who left an indelible mark on Canada's history. Previously, he had worked along the Great Lakes as a marine fireman for the Department of Marine and Fisheries. Pegahmagabow was one of 39 members of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) to receive two bars to the MM. Norwest earned the Military Medal at Vimy Ridge, where his sniping saved many lives, and was awarded a bar in 1918. Francis Pegahmagabow was a marksman, who fought for the allied forces, as a sniper, against the Germans in the World War I. Thebes, under the master tactician Epaminondas, crushed the Spartans best at the battle of Leuctra. In an effort to prevent a disaster, he took it upon himself to bring up the necessary supplies. The government ordered 12,000 of the rifles for delivery in 1903. How was this fledgling country going to arm its army, police and militia? Using the much-maligned Ross rifle, he was credited with killing 378 Germans and capturing 300 more. Eastern Screech Owl. Corporal Francis Pegahmagabow was also awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal. He was orphaned at an early age and was raised by the Shawanaga First Nation community. Cpl. At the end of the Boer War, Canada couldn’t persuade arms-strapped Britain to supply it with Lee-Enfield rifles, or even a licence to manufacture them. Francis Pegahmagabow MM & two bars (/ ˌ p ɛ ɡ ə m ə ˈ ɡ æ b oʊ /; March 9, 1891 – August 5, 1952) was a Canadian First Nations soldier, politician and activist. Sexuality. Serving as a reconnaissance expert in the Devil’s Brigade, Tommy Prince posed as a local farmer to repair a severed communications wire in full view of enemy troops. Canadian novelist Joseph Boyden's 2005 novel Three Day Roadwas inspired in part by Pegahmagabow. Marital Status. 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He was the most highly decorated for bravery in Canadian military history and the most effective sniper … Priscilla says that her father-in-law had been a good soldier and man. His father was Michael Pegahmagabow of the Parry Island First Nation and his mother Mary Contin of the Henvey Inlet First Nation, located further up the Georgian Bay's north shore. Later, his battalion took part in the Battle of the Somme and it was during this battle that Pegahmagabow was wounded in the left leg. Thus began a process of continual redesign. On March 9th, 1891, Francis Pegahmagabow, was born on the Shawanagwa First Nation, and grew up on the Parry Island Reservation, also known as the Wasauksing First Nation. Francis Pegahmagabow The exploits and accomplishments of World War I sniper Francis Pegahmagabow read like something out of a comic book or summer blockbuster movie. Single. In November 1918, the war came to an end and in 1919 Pegahmagabow was invalided back to Canada. Other fixes included hardening the soft metal of the bolt head and installing a larger bolt stop. Of the more than 600,000 Canadian troops who served during the war, he was one of only 39 soldiers to be awarded the Canadian Military Medal and two bars for valour. Francis Pegahmagabow is a native Canadian who was born in 1889 on the Shawanaga First Nation reserve, north of Parry Sound. While serving with the Red Army in the Second World War, he assassinated 429 soldiers with his rifle alone. He enlisted with the Canadian Expeditionary Force at Valcartier, Quebec, on September 15, 1914. While the jamming rifle shook the infantry’s confidence, snipers loved it. He wanted to go to war as a way to make his mark as a warrior, much like his ancestors [5.] The most prolific sniper was Francis "Peggy" Pegahmagabow, an Ojibwa from the Wasauksing First Nation. The Eagle was the spirit animal of Pegahmagabow, and the caribou represents the Caribou clan. Francis would tell the story of meeting an Ojibwa medicine man who told him that he would face great danger in his life, and gave him a pouch of medicine that he said would help to keep Francis safe. 64 relations. Pegahmagabow was awarded the Military Medal for exploits during battles at Ypres, Festubert and Givenchy. Aug 27, 2019 - This Pin was discovered by MC1960. CWM/20030011-133, Sir Sam Hughes championed the Canadian-made Ross rifle, and drew serious criticism when he defended it against growing evidence of its deficiencies in combat. Francis Pegahmagabow was born on what is now the Shawanaga First Nation reserve. “Introduction: Francis Pegahmagabow (9 March 1891-5 August 1952) was the most decorated Canadian First Nation soldier in the First World War.He was awarded the Military Medal (MM) plus two bars for bravery in Belgium and France. One officer wrote, “It is nothing short of murder to send out men against the enemy with such a weapon.”. Corporal Francis Pegahmagabow MM and two bars, was an Indigineous Canadian soldier, and the most accomplished sniper of the Great War. The first Canadian and Newfoundland troops carried Ross rifles into the war. He had the highest number of "kills," 378, among the Allied soldiers, and he also took more than 300 Germans prisoner. Impolitic Hughes was replaced as minister in 1916 and the federal government expropriated the Ross factory the following year. 35. Francis Pegahmagabow was born on what is now the Shawanaga First Nation reserve (of the larger Anishinabek nation) in Nobel, Ontario, on the shores of Parry Sound (see Reserves in Ontario). Shortly after his arrival in Europe, Pegahmagabow saw action during the Second Battle of Ypres, where the Germans used chlorine gas for the first time on the Western Front, and it was during this battle that he began to establish a reputation as a sniper and scout. The Ghost of the Trenches. While the jamming rifle shook the infantry’s confidence, snipers loved it. Francis Pegahmagabow died at 64, his lungs damaged so badly that he had to sleep in a chair to keep them from filling with fluid. Francis "Peggy" Pegahmagabow. He was the son of Michael Pegahmagabow and Mary Contin of the Henvey Inlet First Nation. For these efforts, he received a second Bar to his Military Medal, becoming one of only 38 Canadians to receive this honor. Francis was laid to rest in an old cemetery on Wasauksing First Nation in 1952, and it is still regularly visited by his 81-year-old daughter in law, Priscilla Pegahmagabow and her daughter, Teresa McInnes Pegahmagabow. Francis Pegahmagabow MM & two bars (/ˌpɛɡəməˈɡæboʊ/; March 9, 1891 – August 5, 1952) was a Canadian First Nations soldier, politician and activist. He had served in the military for almost the whole war and had built up a reputation as a skilled marksman. Being that he was a native, he was exempt from the Canadian military draft at the start of the war, but enlisted immediately anyways. He killed 378 enemies with his Ross rifle and captured another 300, making him one of the most successful marksmen in WWI. And fur along his neck, back, and the back of his arms up to the shoulder. Pegahmagabow enlisted with the 23rd Regiment (Northern Pioneers) in August 1914, almost immediately after war was declared. Francis first signed up to join the Canadian Army at the beginning of World War One, and he … Francis Pagahmagabow is a Canadian sniper who served in the First World War. His first overseas deployment was with the ‘1st Canadian Infantry Battalion,’ which was the first Canadian contingent sent to fight in Europe. The novel's protagonist is a fictional character who, like Pegahmagabow, serves as a military sniper during World War I, although Pegahmagabow also appears as a minor char… Trials revealed problems, including bolts jamming on sustained firing, but Ross promised all would be addressed during manufacturing. During the fighting there Pegahmagabow’s battalion was given the task of launching an attack at Passchendaele. Francis Pegahmagabow was a marksman, who fought for the allied forces, as a sniper, against the Germans in the World War I. On November 6/7, 1917, Pegahmagabow earned a Bar to his Military Medal for his actions in the Second Battle of Passchendaele. Francis Pegahmagabow. Owl eyes allow for superb sight. Francis Pegahmagabow, pictured in an undated photo, was credited with 378 kills during his four years on the front lines of Europe during the First World War. When Francis was about three years old, his father, Michael Pegahmagabow, passed away after battling an unknown but severe illness. Initially, his commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Frank Albert Creighton, had nominated him for the Distinguished Conduct Medal, citing the disregard he showed for danger and his “faithfulness to duty,” however, it was later downgraded. Scottish industrialist and gun enthusiast Sir Charles Ross stepped forward, proposing to build a factory in Quebec City to manufacture a rifle of his design. Pegahmagabow was awarded the Military Medal for exploits during battles at Ypres, Festubert and Givenchy. By this time, he had been promoted to the rank of corporal and during the battle he was recorded playing an important role as a link between the units on the 1st Battalion’s flank. Francis’ mother, Mary Contin, had also become ill from the same sickness. Francis Pegahmagabow was a marksman, who fought for the allied forces, as a sniper, against the Germans in the World War I. This video is brought to you by The Great War, the WWI history project on Youtube. 4. Francis Pegahmagabow is shown in the Canadian Expeditionary Force uniform he would have worn, with the rifle that his own life and the lives of his fellow soldiers depended on. At Ypres in April, some soldiers used their boots and shovels to loosen jammed bolts. Unfortunately for the Greeks, the Spartans just couldn’t hold power after finally triumphing over Athens. When the battalion’s reinforcements became lost, Pegahmagabow was instrumental in guiding them to where they needed to go and ensuring that they reached their allocated spot in the line. A life-sized statue of Pegahmagabow was also erected on June 21, 2016 in Parry Sound. 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