Legion vets honoured with coronation medals

East St. Paul

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This article was published 09/04/2025 (521 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Royal Canadian Legion Branch 215 in East St. Paul hosted a special ceremony on March 23, at which 15 people involved in Legion activities around the city received the King Charles III coronation medal.

Rivergrove’s Stephane Guindon served with St. John’s Ambulance from 1974-79 before joining the Algonquin Regiment Infantry as a machine gunner. An active volunteer with the Fort Garry Horse Cadets, Guindon has served on several boards. He distributes clothing to military and cadets and helps past military members obtain medals they were awarded but did not receive.

He is also writing a book about the military in Manitoba and updates the Wall of Remembrance.

Westwood’s Roland Fisette has been involved with the Royal Canadian Legion for more than 50 years and has held many roles at Branch 4 and the provincial command. Fisette is the chair of the 2026 Centenary Convention in Winnipeg and was instrumental in the construction of a Veterans Stadium at a high school. He donates additional volunteer time is devoted to ANAVETS, Remembrance Day and the Assiniboine Park Zoo.

Charleswood resident Gordon Machej has been a Legion member for 16 years, serving as president for seven terms. He is also involved with the Colour Guard and on multiple committees. His capital projects experience includes work on new entrances off Maxwell King Drive, a Wall of Honour and Remembrance, and hall renovations.

Paul Dartnell’s military involvement began as a teenager. The East St. Paul resident was a leading seaman on the HMCS Saguenay before starting a 30-year career with the Winnipeg Police Service, where he earned the Governor General’s and Police Exemplary Service Medals. Dartnell is involved with poppy sales, the library and fundraising. He finds appropriate places for donated military artifacts, with one repatriated to Ireland.

Mark Pearson joined the Canadian Armed Forces in the late 1980s, initially as an infantryman with the Queen’s own Cameron Highlanders of Canada. His deployments included Yugoslavia, the United Arab Emirates, and disasters in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The Weston resident is a supervisor with Charlie Company 4th Canadian Ranger Patrol Group and has overseen the deployment and administration of Canadian Rangers on Ground Search and Rescue and overseas deployments.

St. Vital’s Robert Pigeau joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1976, serving UN tours in Cyprus and Croatia, where he was awarded the Wound Stripe due to injuries from hostile actions. An active volunteer during his military service, Pigeau contributes to Boy Scouts of Canada, Legion, ANAVETS and CAVUNP.

Ron Anderson was a chief warrant officer with the Canadian Armed Forces for 38 years and received the Order of Military Merit and Minister of Veterans Affairs commendation. A 47-year Legion member, he’s held multiple leadership positions where he contributed to housing and athletic initiatives. Additional volunteer time was devoted to the St. James Masonic Lodge, International Peace Garden, Meals on Wheels, and CancerCare Manitoba.

Capt. Marc Pelletier is an administration officer at the 199 St Vital Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron and president of the Winnipeg South Osborne Legion, Branch 252. The St. Boniface resident is a 24-year Canadian Forces veteran and has spent 26 years volunteering with the Winnipeg Rotary Club’s Model United Nations Assembly.

East St. Paul’s Shaun McIntosh is a mechanical engineer who graduated at the top of his class as an air navigator and pilot trainer, retiring after 41 years of service. He received the Canadian Decoration 2nd Clasp, the Canadian Peace Keepers Service Medal, the Special Service Medal NATO designation, the Gulf of Kuwait Medal with clasp, and two non-service medals from the Kuwait and Saudi governments for service during the Gulf War. He is the Sergeant of Arms at Branch 215.

Additional medals were awarded to rural Manitoba residents Nicholas Beavington, Dennis Hunt, Gerard Fontaine, Angela Nikolychuk, Nicole Fanshaw, and Jacqueline Hampshire (posthumously).