Thread by @garius

In regimental museums you'll see medals. It's easy to see them just as objects. They're not. They're often the last record of a precious memory.

Let me tell you a story about these medals, and why they were more precious to a Canadian figureskater than her Olympic gold medal. /1

Somewhat hidden among the military building complex in central Ottawa is this drill hall. Inside it is an even more hidden building:

The Regimental museum for the Governors Foot Guards.

One day the museum received a call.

It was an offer to donate the medals of a former unit member. Clyde Scott, who had fought in WW1, wounded at 2nd Ypres, misreported as dead, but survived and served in WW2 as well.

The owner was getting old, and worried they'd be forgotten.

The curator agreed and traveled to the owner's house to find out more and (hopefully) take receipt.

They arrived to find themselves welcomed by legendary Canadian figure skater, 7 times gold medalist and "Canada's Sweetheart" Barbara Ann Scott.

The medals were her father's.

Scott led the curator to a display above her mantelpiece, that proudly displayed her father's medals in pride of place.

Her father, she said, had died suddenly in 1941. She had been just 13.

She adored her father, but he had never seen her win Olympic Gold.

But through HIS medals and HERS, though they were for different things, they were linked.

She was enormously proud of his medals, she knew how proud he was of his own, and she KNEW he'd be just as proud of hers.

And that was why she displayed them both.

Barbara's worry, as she got older, was of a death similar to her father's - a sudden one. She had no fears about her own medals, but was a pragmatist and knew her father's medals would be of less import to those who came after.

She wanted the museum to have them.

And so the museum gladly took on the medals, arranging a ceremony - with the modern unit - of handover and inviting Barbara as guest of honour.

She prepared a speech, but was unable to speak on the day.

"I'm so happy" she confessed quietly "I can't speak or i'll cry"

Barbara died in Florida in 2012, but in the years leading up to her death she visited Ottawa many times.

Whenever she did, she'd visit the military complex to see her father's medals at the regimental museum.

Given her tendency to turn up unannounced, this initially led to disappointment occasionally - the volunteers maintaining the museum weren't always around to open it up.

Then they had an idea:

They put them in the small display cabinet on the side.

Because by this point, base security were so used to Barbara turning up that they knew what to do.

They'd wave her in and she'd wander over to the museum, and spend time just happily looking at the window.

"Your friend was here again" security would joke with the museum staff.

And that's why I wanted to show you these medals, and give you the story behind them.

Because it doesn't matter that there are thousands of medals like them in the world. Like ALL those medals, there is a human story behind them.

This one just happens to be Barbara's.

I'm a firm believer in the principle that, regardless of our beliefs, we live on as long as someone knows of us.

Barbara wanted her father remembered as much as she is.

This thread is about making sure someone other than me, and the original curator, remember him too.

And if you live, or find yourself in, Ottawa then do look into visiting the little regimental museum (you'll need to ring/email ahead so they can open it).

And while you're there, ask to see Clyde's medals.

I think Barbara would be so proud of that. /END footguards.ca