By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
Alan Marsh, a military veteran from Bolton Centre, recently received a Quilt of Valour from the Rouge Valley Quilters Guild, a tribute that recognizes his dedicated service in the Canadian Armed Forces. The quilt, hand-quilted by Laurie Mitchell, was presented in a small ceremony at Marsh’s home, with representatives from St. Hubert and Terrebonne delivering the honour.
“I was really touched,” Marsh said during a recent interview. “It’s a special thing for anyone who served in the military, especially those who were on the front lines.”
Marsh enlisted in the military on Jan. 26, 1978, with the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery (R.C.H.A.) out of Sherbrooke, Quebec. After completing basic training in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia, and being posted to Shilo, Manitoba, he began a career in artillery, which would take him across Canada and the world. One of his earliest assignments involved setting up survival cairns in Fort Good Hope, Northwest Territories, the oldest Indigenous reservation in Canada.
In 1990, Marsh was deployed to the Persian Gulf aboard the H.M.C.S. Protector during Operation Friction, Canada’s involvement in the Gulf War. “My job was to provide low-level air defence,” Marsh explained. He was tasked with defending against potential missile attacks. “When Saddam [Hussein] was firing the Exocet missile, I was to shoot them down with a Javelin missile system,” he recalled. This experience, he noted, was unlike any other. “It was different. I never set sail before, and I’ll never sail again,” Marsh said with a chuckle.
Marsh’s career spanned over 17 years, during which he received numerous accolades, including the Cyprus Medal for peacekeeping, a NATO Medal for service in Germany, and a Persian Gulf Medal. After retiring from active duty in 1993 with the rank of Sergeant, he transitioned to civilian life, purchasing a semi-trailer and working as a truck driver across North America.
The presentation of the Quilt of Valour was particularly meaningful to Marsh. “It’s not just for peacekeeping,” he said, emphasizing that the honour represents all of his military contributions. He views it as a heartfelt gesture acknowledging his service.
Marsh currently resides in Bolton Centre with his wife Denise. Though his time in the military is behind him, the memories of his service, particularly in the Gulf, remain vivid. “We were on the verge of war there for sure,” he reflected. The Quilt of Valour now serves as a reminder of those days, and of the appreciation extended to him for his years of dedication to the Canadian Forces.
