Article submitted by CWO Donnie Matthews, CD
On 16 October 2023, the Canadian Forces Fire and CBRN Academy (CFFCA) conducted a most meaningful ceremony to commemorate the brave actions of a military firefighter. Flying Officer Douglas Edgar Stevenson, GM, CD (a sergeant at the time of the incident) performed heroically during a 1956 fire in Malmedy, France. As a result of his heroic actions, F/O Stevenson was awarded the George Medal in 1959.
The George Medal was awarded only for acts of great bravery and was intended primarily for civilians. Awards to the military were confined to actions for which purely military honours are not normally granted. Building A-256, home to the Fire Training Squadron, was officially named The Flying Officer Douglas Edgar Stevenson, GM, CD on 16 October 2023 in a ceremony attended by numerous family members, friends, and colleagues of FO Stevenson. The keynote speaker was LCol Lorne MacLean, OMM, CD (Retired) who gave a rousing address that was greatly appreciated by the attendees. (See George Cross and George Medal Awards for more stories about members of the CME who have received this decoration.) As well, one of our 2021 CMEA Memorial Bursaries was named for him.
Citation
Flying Officer Douglas Edgar Stevenson, GM, CD served in the RCAF from 1946 to 1963 with honour and distinction. This building is named in honour of his service and his acts of exceptional bravery during his career, for which he was recognized.
On July 10, 1956, a fire occurred in a shipment of aviation fuel being unloaded at Montmedy, France. Sgt. Stevenson, who was acting as deputy fire chief, performed two acts of bravery which enabled the fire section to bring the fire under control and finally to extinguish it. On the first occasion he climbed to the top of a sealed tank car which was in danger of exploding because of extreme heat and after repeated efforts managed to release the manhole cover lock. This relieved the pressure building up in the tank car and prevented an explosion which would have made the fire completely uncontrollable. Later, when the fire was being kept under control but could not be extinguished, Sergeant Stevenson protected only by a heat mask and a stream of water sprayed on him by other firefighters proceeded to the top of a blazing fuel tender, and successfully introduced a foam line through the manhole cover, and thus brought the fire under complete control. Both of these acts were carried out with full knowledge of their necessity and of the dangers involved. The courage and selflessness displayed by Sergeant Stevenson, and the commitment to service before self in regard to his own personal safety on this occasion was in the highest traditions of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II presented him with the King George VI Medal at the Government House in Ottawa in 1959. It was the highest honour ever bestowed on a member of the National Defence Fire Service.