Master Seaman Emmanuel Lemieux, M.B.
Leading Seaman Reeves Matheson, M.B.
Halifax, Nova Scotia
On February 15, 2016, Master Seaman Lemieux and Leading Seaman Matheson risked their lives to prevent a crisis on board HMCS Windsor after a ruptured battery caused an electrical failure while at sea. MS Lemieux and LS Matheson entered the confined compartment to find the smouldering battery. Crawling through the toxic, smoke-filled darkness, they made their way on their hands and knees across a narrow board suspended above exposed electrical terminals and through a tangle of hoses. They quickly assessed the situation and reported back to the captain. The submarine then regained propulsion and returned to the station, where the crew safely disembarked.