Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: August 24, 1972
• Invested on: June 08, 1973

Captain Roger D'Arcy, M.B.
Medal of Bravery

On April 26, 1969, Cpt. Roger D'Arcy of the Montreal Fire Department, responding to an emergency call, went to the Jacques Cartier bridge where a man was threatening suicide. Along with a constable from the National Harbour Police, Capt. D'Arcy climbed to the 400-foot level of the bridge. As they approached, the man cried out telling them to leave but Capt. D'Arcy, walking slowly along the three-foot wide span, talked to the distraught man in a quiet voice. The would-be suicide was shaking violently and about to collapse. When the man grew somewhat calmer, Capt. D'Arcy put his jacket around him and led him to a small tower on the bridge. Nearly half an hour was needed for Capt. D'Arcy and the constable to bring the victim down to a point where the fire ladder could be used to complete the descent. Capt. D'Arcy incurred a grave risk in coming into direct contact with a mentally-disturbed person in so perilous a location.