British Columbia's Victoria Crosses Interpretive Panel

British Columbia's Victoria Crosses

The highest of British gallantry awards, the Victoria Cross (VC) was awarded to 73 Canadians during the Great War. Though British Columbia comprised less than eight percent of Canada's population in 1914, nineteen percent of the country's Great War VCs - fourteen - went to British Columbians.

George Randolph Pearkes

Of the eleven British Columbians who survived to
receive their Victoria Cross, the one who perhaps
went on to the greatest success in life was
George Randolph Pearkes. It was for his actions in
the Battle of Passchendaele in October 1917 that
he was awarded a Victoria Cross. Pearkes served
again in the Second World War, initially as a
brigade commander. After the war he was
elected to Parliament in 1945 and eventually
served as Minister of National Defence.
He was B.C. Lieutenant-Governor
from 1960 to 1968.

Gordon Flowerdew

Gordon Flowerdew of Walhachin is one of three
British Columbia VC recipients of the war who
never knew of the honour awarded them. The
action that earned Flowerdew a VC - and cost
him his life - was a cavalry charge he led in late
March 1918, an action commemorated in a
famous Canadian war painting.

Rowland Bourke

Due to poor eyesight, Rowland Bourke was
rejected for service as a Canadian soldier.
Determined to make a contribution to the war
effort, he went to the England and managed to enlist
in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. It was for
his actions while serving as an officer aboard
HMS Vindictive in April 1918 at Ostend, Belgium,
that Bourke was awarded his Victoria Cross, like
George Pearkes he served again in WWII. He lived
for many years in Esquimalt. Every November 11
Victoria's Naval Reserves conduct a ceremony
beside his grave at Royal Oak Burial Park.