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Chief Petty Officer Second Class Sidney Rolland Allen Smith

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Meritorious Service Decorations - Military Division

  • Meritorious Service Cross

    Awarded on: 2005-03-23
    Invested on: 2005-05-30
    On August 7, 2003, while escorting HMCS Victoria some 200 nautical miles at sea off the Baja Peninsula, Mexico, HMCS Ottawa experienced a major fire in its engine room. For two hours, in extreme temperatures and with limited visibility, CPO2 Smith personally led and directed the efforts of 20 firefighters, ensuring their safety and welfare and the preservation of vital engineering equipment. CPO2 Smith's leadership and calm decision making in extreme conditions were instrumental in the favourable conclusion of a life-threatening situation. Thanks to his personal efforts, HMCS Ottawa was underway again in a normal engineering mode within a few hours.