Charles Henry Byce
Explore our virtual exhibit
By Date
- May 1940 - April 1945: Occupation & Resistance
- 1944: Anthony Law becomes Commander of 29th Flotilla
- May 19 - 20 1944: Philip Pochailo is shot down
- June 6, 1944: Earl Olmsted lands on Juno Beach
- August 4, 1944: Moe Hurwitz awarded Military Medal (MM)
- September 1944: Race to Antwerp
- September 12, 1944: Moe Hurwitz earned Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM)
- October - November 1944: The Battle of the Scheldt
- January 1945: Charles Byce earns his Military Medal (MM)
- February - March 1945: The Rhineland Campaign
- March 2, 1945: Charles Byce earns his Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM)
- April 1945: Philip Pochailo reconnects with Canadian troops
- April 14, 1945: Léo Major liberates Zwolle
- April 15, 1945: Don White assists in the Liberation of Leeuwarden
- April, 1945: Mona Parsons reconnects with Canadian troops
- April - May 1945: The Liberation of the Netherlands
- April 1945 - Present: Remembrance
- May 5, 1945 - May 31, 1946: The aftermath of liberation
Charles is one of Canada’s most distinguished Indigenous soldiers of the Second World War.
The son of a First World War hero and a woman of the Cree First Nations, Charles survived the residential school system and, despite his painful experiences, fought for Canada with honour and bravery. He joined the Lake Superior Regiment in 1944 and often risked his life to ensure the safety of his men. Charles earned a Military Medal (MM) in January 1945 when he protected his fellow servicemen from an enemy attack while they crossed the Maas River, and a Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) in March 1945 when he shielded his men as they escaped enemy sniper fire. Charles is a celebrated figure in his hometown of Thunder Bay and to all Indigenous communities across Canada.
To learn more about Charles Byce, visit his Story Map and Historical Context Page.
