Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: December 12, 2018
• Invested on: June 13, 2019

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.