SUMMARY:
The Colonel-in-Chief Commendation is the highest award that the C&E Family may bestow. It serves to recognize recipients – in the form of individual or collective awards – for exceptional service and selfless dedication, and who made a lasting contribution to the objectives of the C&E Branch and our greater family writ large.
The commendation was established by Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, Princess Anne. The award was officially unveiled on the 24th of October, 2013 to help mark the 110th anniversary of military communications in the Canadian Armed Forces. All members of the C&E Family – including military, civilian, honorary appointments, retired members, and immediate family members – are eligible for the Colonel-in-Chief Commendation. Furthermore, units or sections of a unit may be nominated when submitting a collective award.
The award is bestowed during C&E Week (late October timeframe) each year.
ELIGIBILITY:
All members of the C&E Family – including military, civilian, honorary appointments, retired personnel, and immediate family members – are eligible for the Colonel-in-Chief Commendation. Furthermore, units or sections of a unit may be nominated when submitting a collective award.
HOW TO APPLY:
- Colonel-in-Chief Commendation – Instruction
- Colonel-in-Chief Commendation – Nomination Letter Template
Note: The Colonel-in-Chief Commendation Certificate template is held by CFSCE Publication Development. The Branch Adjutant will arrange for its production. Afterwards, it is sent to the Colonel Commandant for furtherance to the Colonel-in-Chief.
IMPORTANT DATES:
1. End-June: Submission deadline for the current year;
2. NLT mid-August – The Branch Adjutant vets, compiles, and forwards nominations to the Colonel Commandant’s office;
3. NLT end-August – The Colonel Commandant convenes a board from representatives of the C&E Family or Senate to discuss Colonel-in-Chief Commendation. Those not selected may be considered – at the board’s discretion – for a C&E Association Heritage nomination, at which point the Colonel Commandant will forward selected files to the Heritage Committee’s H&A Chair for consideration;
4. NLT mid-September – The Colonel Commandant will write a letter to Buckingham Palace to seek endorsement from HRH to award a nominee with the commendation. Enclosed will be a draft certificate with citation (arranged by the Branch Adjutant);
5. NLT mid-October – The signed and dated certificate is framed or displayed in a suitable casing (such as a C&E Certificate Docket held in the Branch Adjutant’s Office). If the certificate was sent digitally (due to time pressures or availability of HRH), then the Home Station will work with Pub Dev, CFSCE to ensure a hi-quality print is generated. The certificate is paired with a medallion and pin. All details and particulars are captured in the C&E Branch H&A Database; and
6. End-October: During the C&E Branch Update – The official award ceremony convenes in which the Colonel-in-Chief recipient is formally recognized. He / she receives the medallion, pin, and certificate. The ceremony is presided over by the Branch Leader and the Colonel Commandant. Official photos will be taken and uploaded onto suitable platforms (e.g. CMCEN) for wider publication.
AWARD RECIPIENTS
| Year | Medallion No. | Recipient |
| 2013 | 99 | HRH – The Princess Royal |
| 2013 | 1 | BGen G.D. Simpson, OMM, CD (Retired) |
| 2013 | 2 | Gen R.M. Withers, CMM, CD (Retired) |
| 2013 | 3 | HCol D.L. Hart, MM, CD (Retired) |
| 2013 | 4 | LCol D. Bergeron, OMM, CD (Retired) |
| 2013 | 5 | BGen G.D. Simpson, OMM, CD (Retired) |
| 2013 | 6 | BGen D. Banks, CMM, CD (Retired) |
| 2013 | 7 | BGen R.P. Fraser, OMM, CD (Retired) |
| 2013 | 8 | BGen W.J. Patterson, OMM, CD (Retired) |
| 2013 | 9 | Col P.H. Sutton, CD (Retired) |
| 2013 | 10 | Col J.A.P. Thomson, CD (Retired) |
| 2013 | 11 | Col P.A. Tappin, CD (Retired) |
| 2013 | 12 | Maj C.B. Bostwick, MMM, CD (Retired) |
| 2013 | 13 | Maj D.G. Lawrence, CD (Retired) |
| 2013 | 14 | Maj S.E. Lipin, CD (Retired) |
| 2013 | 15 | Maj W.J. Magilton, CD (Retired) |
| 2013 | 16 | MWO T.R. Murphy, MMM, CD (Retired) |
| 2013 | 17 | WO L. DeNoble, MMM, CD (Retired) |
| 2013 | 18 | BGen J.J.M. Charron, OMM, CD (Retired) |
| 2013 | 19 | BGen D.P. Harrison, CD (Retired) |
| 2013 | 20 | Capt(N) J.E. Croft, CD (Retired) |
| 2013 | 21 | Col C.E. Allan, CD (Retired) |
| 2013 | 22 | Col J.R. Leitch, CD (Retired) |
| 2013 | 23 | LCol B.P. McDonnell, CD (Retired) |
| 2013 | 24 | Maj W.W. Dyke, MMM, CD (Retired) |
| 2016 | 25 | Major M.P. DeNoble, CD (Retired) |
| 2017 | 26 | BGen W.S. Richard, CD (Retired) |
| 2018 | 27 | Col D.F. Pruner, OMM, CD (Retired) |
| 2018 | 28 | Col J.I. Holsworth, CD (Retired) |