THE VICTORIA CROSS AND OTHER CAMPAIGN MEDALS AWARDED TO CORPORAL FREDERICK TOPHAM, 1ST CANADIAN PARACHUTE BATTALION, HAVE BEEN SAVED FOR THE CANADIAN NATION. |
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6 February 2005 |
For a number of years the Victoria Cross and campaign medals awarded to Corporal Fred Topham had been on loan to the Canadian War Museum, but, unfortunately, they were mostly kept in storage. When Topham's widow Mary found out they were not on display, she changed her mind about leaving the medals to the CWM and as a consequence left instructions in her will that the VC medal group be sold for her beneficiaries. The executors of Mary Topham's estate had contacted various military museums in Canada to enquire if they would be interested in purchasing the medals but with no success. Eventually, the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion Association, Fred's Topham's wartime Battalion, was approached. A small committee, consisting of members of The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada and members of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion Association, was formed and a verbal agreement was reached with the executors to purchase the VC for $250,000 at which the medals were evaluated. A meeting was called and the executors stated that $250,000 was too low now that they had received an overseas offer of $319,000. The executors indicated they would prefer the Victoria Cross stay in Canada and an agreement was finally reached that the committee could purchase the medals for $275,000 with the condition attached if more funds were raised, a high of $300,000 would be paid, and if not, a low of $260,000. A legal agreement was drawn up and fundraising began with promotion of the campaign by newspapers and TV producers. Donations large and small came in from Canadians all across the country; from school children, Legions, serving military, towns and cities, and corporations. The announcement on 15th December 2004 was that $300,000 had been reached. As announced during the fund raising campaign, any surplus funds would go to the expansion of the Airborne Museum at Base Petawawa. On 24th January 2005 at the Royal Canadian Military Institute in Toronto, a cheque for $300,000 was handed over to the executors of the Mary Topham Estate in exchange for the Victoria Cross. The full medal group was then handed over by Jan de Vries of the 1st CPBA into the care of a representive of the Canadian War Museum who agreed to place the medals in a secure display case to be shown in the CWM and at various locations across Canada. For the award of the Victoria Cross [ London Gazette, 3 August 1945 ], East of the River Rhine, Near Wesel, Germany, 24 March 1945, Corporal Frederick George Topham, 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, Canadian Army.
On 24th March 1945, Corporal Topham, a medical orderly, parachuted with his Battalion on to a strongly defended area east of the Rhine. At about 11:00 hours, whilst treating casualties sustained in the drop, a cry for help came from a wounded man in the open. Two medical orderlies from a field ambulance went out to this man in succession but both were killed as they knelt beside the casualty. Without hesitation and on his own initiative, Corporal Toham went forward through intense fire to replace the orderlies who had been killed before his eyes. As he worked on the wounded man, he was himself shot through the nose. In spite of severe bleeding and intense pain, he never faltered in his task.
Frederick Topham was sent his Victoria Cross by registered post in 1946.
Frederick "Toppy" Topham VC died suddenly on 31st May 1974 at the age of fifty-six and is buried in the Sanctuary Park Cemetery, Etobicoke, Ontario.
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Iain Stewart, 6 February 2005