From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Tommy Prince
Tommy Prince
Thomas George Prince Early life
Born in Manitoba, 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 re-
serve. He attended Elkhorn Residential School, complet-
ing grade eight. After leaving school, he was employed at
a variety of manual labor positions but primarily as a tree
feller.
World War II
Sergeant Tommy Prince (R) with his brother, Private Morris At the outbreak of World War II Prince volunteered to
Prince, receives his Military Medal at Buckingham Palace fight with the Canadian Army and although Prince easily
Nickname Prince of the Brigade met the requirements for recruitment, he was turned
down several times before he was finally accepted on
Born 15 October 1915(1915-10-15) June 3, 1940. He was originally a member of the Royal
Scanterbury, Manitoba
Canadian Engineers, trained as a sapper. He volunteered
Died 25 November 1977(1977-11-25) (aged 62) for duty with a parachute unit designated the 1st Canadi-
Winnipeg, Manitoba an Parachute Battalion. This designation was used to dis-
Allegiance Canada guise the true reason for the recruitment of parachute
volunteers in the UK at that time. the United States and
Service/branch Royal Canadian Engineers Canada had begun the formation of a special force to con-
1st Canadian Parachute Battalion duct sabotage in Norway. Men were recruited in Cana-
da and the overseas army for this Force dubbed the First
Special Service Force. The Canadians involved with this
Devil’s Brigade
training continued to be on strength of their prior units.
Although later dubbed the 2nd Canadian Parachute Bat-
PPCLI talion for administrative purposes, the unit did not ac-
Years of service June 3, 1940-June 15, 1945 tually exist. Prince then reported to the U.K.’s parachute
August 1950-September 1954 school at RAF Ringway, near Manchester. He was pro-
Rank Sergeant
moted to Lance Corporal in February 1941.
In September 1942 Prince returned to Canada and
Battles/wars World War II joined the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion (1CPB), and
Korean War was promoted to sergeant. It was determined by the CO
Awards Military Medal of the Force that no more men could be absorbed from
Silver Star the UK due to lack of time to prepare the men for their
mission. The Canadians then decided to go ahead with
Prince,
Thomas George "Tommy" Prince MM (October 25, the actual raising of the 1CPB. Prince volunteered for this
1915–November 25, 1977) was one of Canada’s most dec- unit and proceeded to Fort Benning Georgia where they
orated First Nations soldiers, serving in World War II and were forming. Shortly after, the Force mission to Norway
the Korean War. had been cancelled. By December 1942 other alternative
operations for the Force were being proposed. The Cana-
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Tommy Prince
dians were well below strength due to injuries in training abelle on the French Riviera. There the Force was or-
and washouts. The Canadians then agreed to bolster the dered,as part of the 1st Airborne Task Force, to push east-
Force by allowing men from the growing 1CPB to volun- ward towards the Franco-Italian border. On September 1,
teer for the Force. Between December 1942 and the be- Prince and a private were sent forward through the Ger-
ginning of 1943 some men decided to make a move to man lines to scout their positions near L’Escarène and
the Force. Prince was one of these men. Not only did he came across an encampment area of an enemy reserve
parachute train in the UK method but he also received battalion. On the way back to report, Prince and the pri-
US parachute training. Although the Force was not tech- vate came upon a battle between some Germans and a
nically a parachute unit, the CO of the Force, Colonel squad of French partisans. They started sniping the Ger-
Robert T. Frederick wanted his men familiar with para- mans, who eventually withdrew. When Prince made con-
chute training should a parachute descent be required in tact with the French leader, he asked Prince where his
future operations. Prince, and the other men of this unit company was located, when Prince pointed to the private
were originally chosen for their rugged outdoor back- and said "Here," the French commander exclaimed that
grounds and received a rigorous training schedule, often he thought there were fifty of them. The French com-
under live fire. All members of this elite squad received mander recommended Prince for the Croix de Guerre,
intense instruction in stealth tactics, hand-to-hand com- but the courier was killed en route and the message nev-
bat, the use of explosives for demolition, amphibious er reached the French Commander-in-Chief, Charles de
warfare, rock climbing and mountain fighting, and as ski Gaulle.[3]
troops. Prince became a "Reconnaissance Sergeant" or Prince continued on to reach his unit. He then per-
in the Force table of organization a "Scout", responsible sonally led the unit back to the encampment and joined
for moving into forward positions and reporting on the in the battle, which resulted in the capture of the entire
movements of the enemy. battalion, about 1000 men. From start to end, Prince had
The SSF moved to Italy in November 1943. They been without food, water or sleep for 72 hours and had
would take part in the clearing of the Bernhard or Winter walked over 70 km across rugged, mountainous terrain.
Line preventing the Allied push towards Rome. They at- Afterward, Prince was recommended for the Silver Star,
tacked and captured Monte la Difensa, Hill 720, Monte his citation reading:
Majo, and Monte Vischiataro in December and January. “ So accurate was the report rendered by the ”
They were then moved to Anzio. On February 8, 1944, patrol that Sergeant Prince’s regiment moved
near Littoria, Italy, Prince was sent forward to report the forward on 5 September 1944, occupied new
location of several German assembly points, including ar- heights and successfully wiped out the enemy
tillery positions. He set up in an abandoned farmhouse bivouac [encampment] area. The keen sense
about 200 metres from the enemy assembly area, well be- of responsibility and devotion to duty dis-
hind enemy lines, with 1,400 metres of telephone wire played by Sergeant Prince is in keeping with
connecting him to the force. He had a clear view of the the highest traditions of the military service
enemy’s emplacements and promptly reported them. An and reflects great credit upon himself and the
artillery duel followed as the Allies attempted to knock Armed Forces of the Allied Nations.
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 After it was determined that both US and Canadian per-
full view of German soldiers, pretended to be a farmer sonnel would be better suited if they were dispersed to
weeding his crops. He slowly inched his way along the units in their own forces, the 1st Special Service Force
line till he found where it was damaged, then, pretending was disbanded in December 1944. After returning to the
to tie his shoelaces, rejoined the wires. After finishing the UK, Prince was summoned to Buckingham Palace on Fe-
repairs, he made a show of shaking his fist at the nearby bruary 12, 1945 where King George VI presented him
Germans, then again toward the Allied lines.[1] Returning with his Military Medal. He asked the CO of the 1st Cana-
to his lookout spot, he continued his reports, and over dian Special Service Battalion Lieutenant Colonel Jack
the next 24 hours four German batteries were knocked Akehurst to accompany him. Once it was determined in
out of action.[2] In all he spent three days behind ene- early 1943 that the force was to be sent into action the
my lines. For this action, Prince was awarded the Military Canadian Government had to promulgate a unit so that
Medal, his citation reading (in part) "Sergeant Prince’s matters of promotions and permanent transfers to the
courage and utter disregard for personal safety were an unit could be made. This unit was promulgated in
inspiration to his fellows and a marked credit to his unit." April–May 1943 as the 1st Canadian Special Service Bat-
After being the vanguard of the US Forces liberating talion. Prince would later receive his Silver Star on behalf
Rome on 4 June 1944, the SSF was moved to southern of the American President from US General Koening on
France as part of Operation Dragoon. First they would April 24, 1945. In all, Tommy Prince was decorated nine
assault the Hyeres Islands before going ashore at Sylv-
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Tommy Prince
times, the most of any aboriginal soldier in the war. The guished service in the Battle of Kapyong on April 24 and
war in Europe ended while Prince was in England. 25, 1951. The Patricias were to hold a defensive position
at Hill 677 so that a South Korean division could with-
After the war draw during an attack by Chinese and North Korean
forces. Although at one point the battalion was complete-
Prince was honorably discharged on June 15, 1945[4] and ly surrounded, resupply of ammunition and emergency
returned to his home on the Brokenhead reserve. He rations was accomplished by air and the 2 PPCLI held its
worked in a pulpwood camps and was a heavy drinker ground.Ten PPCLI men were killed and 23 were wounded
on weekends. In 1946, at a dance a woman attacked him during the two-day battle.[5]
with a broken beer bottle and badly cut his right cheek Prince’s wartime duty was taking a toll on his body,
requiring 64 stitches.[3] It was a major turning point for and his knees were subject to painful swelling and pre-
Prince. He resolved to leave the reserve and get a job in mature arthritis. After a medical examination in May
Winnipeg. 1951, he was hospitalized and then assigned administra-
With the assistance from the Department of Veter- tive duties. In August he returned to Canada. Prince re-
an’s Affairs, he established his own cleaning service with mained on active service as an administrative sergeant at
a half-ton panel truck and cleaning supplies and, for a Canadian Forces Base Borden in Ontario. Here his knees
time, prospered. He married Verna Sinclair, with whom improved, so in March 1952 he volunteered for a second
he had five children. tour of duty in the Far East. He sailed for Korea that Oc-
In 1946 he was elected chairman of the Manitoba In- tober with the 3rd Battalion PPCLI.
dian Association. Entrusting his business to friends, In November 1952, the training of the 3 PPCLI in
Prince devoted his time to working with government to Korea was interrupted by a Chinese attack on "the Hook"
improve the conditions for Native peoples. He worked (better known for the later Battle of the Hook), a key po-
with the association to lobby Ottawa for changes to the sition west of the Sami-chon River that overlooked much
Indian Act. While some revisions were made, little actual of the rear areas of the U.N. forces. When a Chinese bat-
improvement followed. Frustrated with the red tape of talion gained a foothold on the forward positions of an-
Ottawa, he returned to Winnipeg to discover that the other U.N. unit on November 18, the 3rd PPCLI was or-
cleaning business he’d entrusted to friends had failed in dered to help defend the sector. By dawn of the 19th, the
his absence after they crashed the truck and sold it for U.N. unit, with assistance from the Patricias, had recap-
scrap metal.[3] With no recourse, Prince returned to the tured the post. Five Patricias were killed on the Hook and
lumber camps and worked at a local concrete factory in nine were wounded, one of whom was Prince. Prince re-
the summers. covered from his injury, but his knees continued to be
a more serious problem, and between January and April
Korea he spent several weeks in hospital.[5] The armistice was
signed during this period.
In August 1950, Prince re-enlisted in the Canadian Army He received the Korea Medal, the Canadian Volunteer
to fight with the United Nations troops in the Korean Service Medal and the United Nations Service Medal. Fol-
War. As he later commented, "As soon as I put on my lowing the s:Korean Armistice Agreement, he remained
uniform I felt a better man." Re-instated with his previ- in the army, working as an instructor of new recruits
ous rank of Sergeant, Prince was now a member of the in Winnipeg, Manitoba, until his honorable discharge on
2nd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry October 28, 1953.[4] He continued to work at a Winnipeg
(2 PPCLI), the first Canadian regiment to arrive in the war personnel depot in Winnipeg, until September 1954.[4]
zone.
In February 1951, the Patricias joined the 27th Com-
monwealth Brigade on the battlefield. Soon after arriving Civilian life again
in the war zone, the sergeant, who was second in com- Adjusting to civilian life had not been easy for Prince af-
mand of a rifle platoon, led an evening "snatch patrol" of ter World War II, and with painfully arthritic knees as a
eight men into an enemy camp. The raid was a success; result of the long, harsh conditions during his military
the group returned before dawn with two captured service, his capabilities were limited. Coupled with the
machine-guns. More raids followed. However, according discrimination seen against Native people at the time,
to the authors of a biography of Prince, he was eventually his life became increasingly difficult, ultimately ending
assigned fewer patrols, because his commanding officer in his estrangement from his family.
thought Prince took too many chances that might risk In June 1955, Tommy Prince made the news for his
the lives of the soldiers under his command.[5] heroism in saving a man from drowning at the Alexander
Prince was present with the 2 PPCLI when, together Docks in Winnipeg. But his personal life kept deteriorat-
with the 3rd Royal Australian Regiment, it was awarded ing and alcoholism overtook him resulting in his final
the United States Presidential Unit Citation for distin- years being spent virtually alone, living in a Salvation
3
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Tommy Prince
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 be-
stowed 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, Ontario;
• The "Tommy Prince Drill Hall" at the Land Force
Western Area Training Centre in Wainwright,
Alberta;
• Government of Canada "Sergeant Tommy Prince
Army Training Initiative" for aboriginal recruiting;
• The "Tommy Prince Award": An Assembly of First
Nations scholarship;
• The "Tommy Prince Scholarship" at Sault College,
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario;
• 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 ac- Monument to Tommy Prince, Kildonan Park, Winnipeg, just a
few steps from the monument to his ancestor Peguis
tor 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 Further reading
most highly decorated First Nations soldier." Beach, 37,
said he is honoured to portray Prince, calling him a posi- • Manitobans in Profile: Thomas George Prince, 1981,
tive role model for all First Nations.[6] Penguin Publishers
See also External links
• Fallen Hero: The Tommy Prince Story (1999) - Film • Prince, Tommy in the Canadian Encyclopedia
• Manitobans in Profile: Thomas George Prince (1981) - • Tommy Prince, Canadian Hero, feature article at the
Book Youth Encyclopedia of Canada
• Prince’s Medals at the Canadian War Museum • [1] Heritage Minute video featuring Tommy Prince
Persondata
References Name Prince, Tommy
Alternative names
[1] Tommy Prince, one of Canada’s greatest heroes
[2] ^ Prince of the Brigade Short description
[3] ^ Thomas Prince: Canada’s Forgotten Aboriginal Date of birth October 15, 1915
War Hero Place of birth Scanterbury, Manitoba
[4] ^ Tommy Prince
Date of death November 25, 1977
[5] ^ Prince Returns to Action
[6] CBC story Place of death Winnipeg, Manitoba
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tommy_Prince&oldid=462949189"
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Tommy Prince
Categories:
• 1915 births
• 1977 deaths
• Canadian military personnel of World War II
• Canadian military personnel of the Korean War
• Recipients of the Silver Star
• Recipients of the Military Medal
• People from Interlake Region, Manitoba
• Saulteaux people
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