Longtime Delta resident William Lloyd Jones has been awarded the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers, recognizing living Canadians who have made a significant, sustained and unpaid contribution to their community in Canada and abroad.
The medal was presented to Jones Tuesday at city hall by B.C. Lieutenant Governor Janet Austin on behalf of Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada.
Jones, 95, is a Second World War veteran and still a very active contributor to his community, including selling poppies with his comrades from Tsawwassen's Branch 289 of the Royal Canadian Legion. Well known as Mr. Poppy, he has been active in the Legion and selling poppies for years. His numerous other volunteerisms range from the assisting Delta police to Delta Hospital Foundation. He told the audience of just under 100 that he's always tried to help the community by contributing where he can, even if it’s just putting a smile on someone’s face.
In 2015, Jones was presented with Legion of Honour medals by Vancouver's French Consul General Jean-Christophe Fleury.
It is the highest decoration France can bestow, the equivalent to the Order of Canada. To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings the French government decided to bestow awards to living Canadian veterans who participated in D-Day operations
Jones landed on Juno Beach shortly after D-Day, a member of the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada, fighting through the Battle of Normandy and participated in the liberation of France.
