Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: December 1, 1975
• Invested on: February 16, 1976

Christopher V. Monks, M.B.
Medal of Bravery

On the night of November 11, 1974, at Martin Lake near Uranium City, Saskatchewan, when his two companions broke through the ice, fifteen-year-old Christopher Monks, at great risk to his own life, crawled to their aid and saved one from drowning. Mr. Monks witnessed his friends plunge through the thin surface into water above their heads when the youths were skating together, some one-hundred yards offshore. Barely escaping the same fate, Christopher encouraged his mates to stay calm and promptly removed his jacket. Lying flat on the ice, he extended his coat to one boy who grabbed hold of the arm sleeve and was pulled onto the solid surface. In the meantime, the other boy had failed to cling to the ice and was thrashing wildly in the open water. Christopher and his rescued friend tied their jackets together and attempted to reach their friend but he disappeared below the surface and was drowned.