The Canadian Airborne Forces Association (CAFA) received a mandate to present 10 King Charles III Coronation medals across Canada through the Airborne Social Club. Only one soldier was chosen from across Alberta.
Capt. Bill Dickson (Retired) was nominated by a selection committee for his exemplary service to the Airborne. One stand-out event, Dickson’s ongoing volunteerism at Siffleur Falls to promote the Airborne monument, was cited.
Col. Bill Fletcher (Retired) presented the medal to Dickson on Saturday, Jan. 18 at the St. Albert Legion. A packed room of veterans and their families cheered Dickson for his leadership and hard work in maintaining the Airborne legacy.
“From the beginning, I felt quite humbled. You pat yourself on the back, but the reality is that a lot of people helped. It’s quite an honour – 10 awards that span Canada and in that sense I feel humbled. And considering the weather, I was happy to see a number of members there,” said Dickson.
Fletcher, who became good friends with Dickson after a posting in Germany in 1971, stated, “Bill is hard to describe. He is totally dedicated to helping in the Airborne and keeping the legacy of the Airborne Forces in Canada. He is tremendously hard working, well-spoken and does not shy away from challenges or opportunity.”
Originally from New Westminster, British Columbia, Dickson joined the 2nd Battalion PPCLI in 1957 at the age of 18. The battalion was the first pre-recruit platoon to reside at the newly designed Griesbach Barracks.
“We came in a week before they put the locks on the doors and you could see the pig-tail shavings still on the floor,” Dickson said.
By 1966, the young soldier transferred to Canadian Intelligence where he would subsequently be posted to Germany, Cyprus and other hot spots. When the Canadian Airborne Regiment was formed in 1968, Dickson as an experienced paratrooper, served until 1977.
He served for 37 years in the Canadian military before retiring to St. Albert in July 1993 with his beloved wife and three children. As a tie-in to his military career, Dickson opened Tail Gunner Military, a local shop that sold military memorabilia: medals, badges, posters, paintings, non-fiction books and portable military equipment.
Through the 1990s and the early 2000s, the retired jumper also volunteered his time collecting the War Diaries of the 1st Airborne Division, now part of The Pegasus Archive War Diary Collection. He also assisted researching documentary interviews for Paratroopers – the Canadian Story.
But it was his continued volunteerism at Siffleur Falls with retired Lt. Norm Toseland that earned him a large degree of respect throughout Canada. Tosler was part of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion in July 1943 and remained active in the Battalion Association after the war.
In 1982 Tosler represented the Battle Association at the dedication of a cairn erected in memory of the battalion’s war efforts in France. The Sylvan Lake resident formed the idea of having a mountain in the Rockies named in memory of the battalion.
He successfully lobbied the provincial government. A five peaked mountain near the Kootenay Plains on Hwy. 11 was renamed Ex Coelis (jumping out of the clouds). Unfortunately, Tosler died in 2000 shortly before the monument’s dedication at Siffleur Falls.
Dickson took it upon himself to keep the legacy alive.
“It’s important because the Airborne is referred to as unique in the military world. Paratroopers are at the top of the class, the best of the best. From a military career perspective, it was one of the best and most important times I had.”
