Victoria Cross Medal (left). Private Jess Randall Larochelle (right). [CORPORAL ISSA PARÉ, RIDEAU HALL © OSGG-BSGG, 2007; DND]
Canadian Armed Forces veteran Bruce Moncur knows what makes a legend. He wasn’t present to witness the exploits of Royal Canadian Regiment comrade, Jess Randall Larochelle, on Oct. 14, 2006, having himself been wounded in a friendly fire incident in Afghanistan several weeks earlier, but he didn’t need to. Why would he, the now-5th grade teacher argues, when the tale spoke for itself?
That day, Larochelle’s platoon encountered a numerically superior Taliban force while manning a remote observation post. Two soldiers had already been killed when the Restoule, Ont., private, having sustained a broken back and fractured neck vertebrae amid the battle, all but singlehandedly fought off 40 insurgents by machine gun and rocket-propelled grenade for an hour, perhaps even more.
For his actions, Larochelle became one of 20 compatriots in Afghanistan to receive the Star of Military Valour, Canada’s second-highest military award. Many, however, insisted he should have earned its highest: the Victoria Cross.
Moncur was, and is, one of them.
Nearly 100 Canadians have worn the bronze of the ever-prestigious VC since its institution in 1856. A significant proportion were posthumous recipients of the accolade, initially presented to British Empire and Commonwealth troops for extraordinary gallantry until a Canadian version was created in 1993. Nevertheless, despite the passage of more than three decades, not to mention the derring-do of innumerable uniformed Canadians in a multitude of war zones during that time, it has never been awarded.
Larochelle, who, at age 40, died on Aug. 30, 2023, after living with chronic pain and post-traumatic stress directly related to his combat experience, never sought the medal himself. Though he allowed the campaign group, Valour in the Presence of the Enemy, to advocate for a VC upgrade, “he actually didn’t want anything to do with it,” said Moncur. “He honestly wouldn’t have complained if he’d received nothing at all because he was just that sort of a guy—just so humble to a fault.”
Before Larochelle died, a 14,000-name petition submitted to parliament fell short on technical grounds, mainly based on the decades-old precedent that issuances of such honours must take place within five years of the exploits that warranted consideration. Now, with a new government, Moncur hopes that momentum is on their side with a second petition (find it here) that will remain open for signatories until Nov. 20, 2025.
The campaigner spoke to Legion Magazine about his latest initiative.
Corporal Bruce Moncur (right, now retired) carries a C9 machine gun in Afghanistan in 2006. [Courtesy Bruce Moncur]
On knowing Larochelle
Jess and I were in the same [‘C’] company of 1 RCR [1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment]. We weren’t overly close as we kind of mingled in different platoons and different crowds, but we were aware of one another and talked from time to time. He was fairly unassuming and baby-faced—not like these Viking-type guys you probably expect to see in the forces. Honestly, he kind of just blended in—or at least in terms of never getting into any trouble.
I was still recovering [from wounds sustained in September 2006] when stories came back to me about what Jess did in Afghanistan. I remember being floored when I heard it. I remember thinking that now, that’s got to be a Victoria Cross.
On kickstarting the VC campaign
Quite a few years ago, Veterans Affairs Minister Erin O’Toole put together a group of veterans to advise the prime minister [on such matters], and I agreed to be a part of it. Even back in 2015, I was insisting that Jess should get the VC.
Fast forward to the [COVID-19] pandemic, and everyone had more time on their hands. I had the idea for creating a documentary about Jess and nine other Star of Military Valour recipients, making the case for Jess’s award to be upgraded. In the process, we got a great team on board that included [retired defence chief] General Rick Hillier and others, yet sadly, it never got green lit.
We then decided to go in a different direction with a social medial campaign to show the kind of numbers [of followers] we could get. It was still a no [for the documentary], but after getting thousands of hits, we pivoted into a non-profit.
On the initial and enduring hurdles
When Jess first got the Star of Military Valour, I remember thinking that he had set the bar so high that it would be essentially impossible to find a VC recipient.
Unfortunately, it turned out that I was right.
General Hillier, who would have been the one responsible for giving Jess the VC had it happened at the time, has since told me what was going on back then. We were new to the mission in Afghanistan. They thought that maybe it was too soon to give the VC, that there would be other moments to present it. Nineteen years later, and it’s still never happened.
More recently, of course, the issue has revolved around the five-year rule [of VCs being considered within that time frame after the feat]. The thing is that Britain is now breaking the rule by reviewing [WW II soldier] Paddy Mayne.
We’re watching that campaign eagerly to see if a new precedent will be set.
On the renewed Larochelle campaign
With every new government comes new opportunities. The truth is that we got nowhere with the Trudeau government. But it’s now the Carney government. Okay, so it’s the same political party, but with the increase in defence spending as part of our NATO agreement and also the pay increases [for CAF members], it feels like we’re finally trying to get our military back in working order. There’s a sense that we’re trying to build morale, and I think there’s no better morale booster than to give Jess the VC.
Let me be clear that we’re not necessarily asking for the medal outright. We’re asking for a review, as that’s all we can ask for. That’s currently what we want.
Our latest petition is being sponsored by Liberal MP Pauline Rochefort. She would have been Jess’ MP [for Nipissing-Timiskaming], which I think is so significant. We’ll be amping up the campaign right through to the deadline.
Jess’s legacy is that of a Canadian hero, of one of our nation’s greatest sons. He should stand shoulder to shoulder with the bravest of Canadians dating back to the War of 1812 and beyond. Jess deserves a seat at that table with all of them.
This abridged interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
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