Meritorious Service Medal
Awarded on: 2000-05-09
Invested on: 2000-09-15
Jean-Pierre Bénamou, O.B.E., M.S.M., Tilly Seuilles, France
Meritorious Service Medal (civil division)
Jean-Pierre Bénamou, a citizen of France, was the driving force behind the re-building of a monument destroyed by vandals - the Canadian Memorial to the British Columbia /Algonquin Regiments - on Hill 140 in Normandy. Without financial assistance or gain, he devoted countless time and energy in order to preserve the memory of the contribution that Canadian soldiers made to the war effort in France during the Second World War. Thanks to Dr. Bénamou’s determination, the Memorial was dedicated to the 4th Canadian Armoured Division on May 8, 1999.