• Awarded on: December 3, 1995

Military Assistant to the United Nations Force Commander in Rwanda from May 1994 to May 1995, Major Lancaster was often thrust into coordinating the operations. After two military observers were badly hurt by a rifle grenade on 17 June 1994, approximately 20 km north of Kigali, Major Lancaster quickly and calmly directed the rescue by radio, deploying a Canadian transport aircraft from Nairobi and negotiating the cease-fire needed for the aircraft to land. During his tour of duty, he passed through the civil war's front lines daily, often under mortar, artillery and small arms fire. Throughout, his outstanding work brought great credit to himself and the Canadian Forces.