Meritorious Service Medal
- Awarded on: August 2, 2000
- Invested on: September 15, 2000
Rank: Leading Seaman
On 2 September 1998, Swissair Flight 111 crashed in the North Atlantic Ocean, near Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia, killing all 229 passengers. The aircraft was completely destroyed on impact and came to rest at a depth of 55 metres, settling into an unstable mound composed of razor-sharp metal and webs of wiring. A member of the crew of Yard Diving Tender GRANBY, Leading Seaman Gulliford conscientiously and meticulously carried out his duty under intense international media attention and the ever-present danger of entrapment and life-threatening damage to his equipment. Under hazardous and exceptionally stressful circumstances, he contributed directly to the recovery of human remains from the seabed and is credited with the recovery of the Cockpit Flight Recorder on 7 September 1998. Leading Seaman Gulliford’s outstanding performance brought great credit to himself, to the Canadian Forces and to Canada both nationally and internationally.
