About The Birchall Leadership Award
The Birchall Leadership Award is presented by the Royal Military Colleges Club of Canada (Calgary Branch) to honour the memory of 2364 Air Commodore Leonard J. Birchall CM, OBE, DFC, OO, CD [1915-2004], the "Saviour of Ceylon". This extraordinary leader, a distinguished RMC ex-cadet, RCAF career officer, former Commandant of RMC, Honourary Colonel of 413 Squadron and until his death on September 10, 2004, the Vice-Patron of the RMC Club, exemplified a unique leadership quality which this award celebrates, and that is the ability to stand up in the face of difficulty or adversity to promote the welfare and safety of those under his command.
The recipient of the Birchall Leadership Award will be recognized in his or her community as having demonstrated some aspect of Leonard Birchall's extraordinary leadership qualities and is preferred to have had some military connection.
On April 4, 1942 then Squadron Leader Birchall was piloting a Catalina flying boat over the Indian Ocean when he sighted and reported an advancing Japanese fleet intent on attacking Ceylon. The Allied Forces ' response to Birchall's call successfully blunted the force of the attack. However, Birchall's Catalina and its crew of eight were shot down and he, along with 5 survivors, spent the remaining years as Japanese prisoners of war. It was as a senior officer among the POW's that Birchall's true leadership skills came to the forefront as he confronted his captors, often risking his own life, in order to preserve the morale, dignity and safety of lower ranked prisoners of war.
In the post war period, Air Commodore Birchall mentored and shared his thoughts on leadership with many persons in and out of uniform. He taught us the importance of:
•Integrity (which gave the confidence and courage for others to follow);
•Responsibility (to not blame others but to shoulder criticism when required); and
•Moral Courage (to rely on one's sense of right and wrong).
The Birchall Leadership Award seeks to carry on this tradition of leadership by honouring its recipients in the name of one of Canada's finest leaders.
For Guard of Honour – Citations click here.
For Honourary Chairman of the Event and Honourary Patrons click here.
For a Description of the Birchall Leadership Award please click here.
For Sponsorship Opportunities Details, please click here.
To visit the RMC Club of Canadas website, please click here.