Filip Konowal

Filip Konowal (September 15, 1888–June 3, 1959) was a Ukrainian Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He is the only Ukrainian recipient of the VC.

He is the patron of Royal Canadian Legion Branch 360 (Konowal Branch) in Toronto.

Konowal's act of heroism

Konowal was 28 years old, and an Acting Corporal in the 47th Bn., British Columbia Regiment, Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War. The following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC, during the period August 22nd–24th, 1917, at the Battle of Hill 70 in Lens, France.

No. 144039 A./Cpl. Filip Konowal, Can. Inf. <p>For most conspicuous bravery and leadership when in charge of a section in attack. His section had the difficult task of mopping up cellars, craters and machine-gun emplacements. Under his able direction all resistance was overcome successfully, and heavy casualties inflicted on the enemy. In one cellar he himself bayonetted three enemy and attacked single-handed seven others in a crater, killing them all. <p>On reaching the objective, a machine-gun was holding up the right flank, causing many casualties. Cpl. Konowal rushed forward and entered the emplacement, killed the crew, and brought the gun back to our lines. <p>The next day he again attacked single-handed another machine-gun emplacement, killed three of the crew, and destroyed the gun and emplacement with explosives. <p>This non-commissioned officer alone killed at least sixteen of the enemy, and during the two days' actual fighting carried on continuously his good work until severely wounded. </blockquote> From The London Gazette Issue 30400 1917-11-23 (Fourth Supplement 1917-11-26 p. 12329)

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Honours

Konowal's Victoria Cross medal was personally presented by King George V, and he was promoted to sergeant.

He was also awarded the British War Medal (1914–1920), Victory Medal (1914–1919), George VI Coronation Medal (1937), Elizabeth II Coronation Medal (1953), and entitled to the Cross of St George, 4th Class, from Russia.

The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 360 (Konowal Branch) in Toronto made him its patron in 1953. The Legion helped established the Konowal Prize, an annual scholarship grant at the Royal Military College of Canada.

Konowal died in 1959 at Hull, Quebec, aged 72. He was buried at Notre Dame de Lourdes Cemetery, Ottawa, under a headstone in section A, lot 502.

In 1996 Konowal's headstone was replaced by an upright marker, and memorial plaques were unveiled:

• in the Cartier Square drill hall of the Governor General's Foot Guards in Ottawa
• at Legion Branch 360 (Konowal Branch) in Toronto
• at The Royal Westminster Regiment's armoury (Konowal's regiment) in New Westminster, B.C.
• on a cairn at Selo Ukraina Memorial Park, near Dauphin, Manitoba.
• in 2001, at Konowal's place of birth, Kudkiv, Ukraine.

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The Victoria Cross medal

The Canadian War Museum (Ottawa, Canada) purchased Konowal's Victoria Cross and other medals in 1969.

The medal went missing sometime in the 1970s, apparently stolen, and was sold to an antique shop along with some Hawaiian coins in the mid-1990s. The shop owner believed the medal was a fake, as it was inscribed with "For Valour" rather than the Latin Pro Valore that is usually inscribed on Canadian Victoria Crosses. The medal was rediscovered when the shop owner offered it to the Jeffrey Hoare Auction House in London, Ontario in April, 2004. It was recovered by police, and returned to permanent display at the War Museum on 2004-migrated from the with permission.