Order of Icarus
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During Canada's Centennial Year, the role played by certain aviators in the advancement of Canadian aviation was brought sharply into focus. A careful assessment of honours available to these airmen revealed that, excluding the McKee Trophy, no other superior recognition existed. To fill this void, and to honour those persons still living whose airborne skills had resulted in outstanding benefits to manned flight, the Order of Icarus was founded. In determining the requirements for admission, the founding fathers ruled themselves from membership.
They delved into Greek mythology to name the Order and selected Icarus, son of Daedalus, builder of the Labyrinth for King Minos of Crete. Legend recounts how Daedalus, to escape from a sentence of death, fashioned wings of feathers glued with wax for himself and his son. With these, they flew to freedom. Icarus, so exhilarated by flight and captivated by the spirit of adventure, flew too close to the sun, which melted the wax and collapsed his wings, plunging him to his death in what is now called the Icarian Sea. He thus became literature's first airman casualty.
The sole rank within the Order was designed as Companion, excluding those persons governing the conduct of the Order. The Senior Companions were selected by the founding group for their unique contributions to Canadian aviation and the time span and areas in which they were involved.
The decoration consists of a gilt sunburst, also representing the cardinal points of the compass, surrounding a white enameled figure of Icarus, his folded mismatched wings reminding Companions of airborne imperfections. The figure is encircled by a knight's belt, binding Companions to a common cause and on which, lettered in gold, is the Order's motto, "Despite Adversity". The insignia is suspended by means of a golden lop ornamented with a maple leaf to denote the Order's Canadian origin.
The broad white center stripe of the ribbon defines the purity of flight across the golden sun, split by two fine blue lines signifying the companionship of airmen in adversity. The broad blue band describes the depth of yet unconquered space and the outer bars of black remind Companions of their mortality and of those who have passed before.
[edit] Companions of the Order of Icarus
Year Invested
- 1967 C.H. Dickins *
- 1967 P.A. Hartman*
- 1967 B.W. Mead*
- 1967 R.A. Munro*
- 1967 L. Rood*
- 1967 H.W. Seagrim*
- 1967 J.C. Sloan*
- 1969 G.H. Finland*
- 1969 N.G. Forester*
- 1969 W.E. Gilbert*
- 1969 H.W. Hayter*
- 1969 M.G.M. Knox*
- 1969 S.R. McMillan*
- 1969 A.M. McMullen*
- 1969 A.G. Sims*
- 1969 S.A. Tomlinson*
- 1969 L.J. Tripp*
- 1969 T.F. Williams*
- 1973 B. Balchen*
- 1973 J. Moar*
- 1973 M.F. Reilly*
- 1973 J.H. Reilly*
- 1973 M.W. Ward*
- 1973 D.N. Watson*
- 1974 N.J. Armstrong*
- 1974 H.M. Bristol*
- 1974 R. Collishaw*
- 1974 W.W. Fowler*
- 1974 S. Graham*
- 1974 Z.L. Leigh*
- 1974 G.B. Lothian*
- 1974 R.C. Randall*
- 1974 P.S. Turner*
- 1975 T.W. Siers*
- 1975 K.R. Greenaway*
- 1975 H. Hollick-Kenyon*
- 1975 W.G. Leach*
- 1977 J.E. Fauquier*
- 1978 J.A.M. Austin*
- 1978 G.L. MacInnis*
- 1978 B.A. Rawson*
- 1981 A.E. Godfrey*
- 1981 K.L. Guthrie
- 1981 W.F.S. Luck*
- 1981 D.R. MacLaren*
- 1981 W.F.M. Newson*
* denotes Members of Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame
