Manitoba names lake for late War Amps leader & D-Day veteran Cliff Chadderton

WINNIPEG, Nov. 9, 2016 /CNW/ - Sustainable Development Minister Cathy Cox announced today that a Manitoba lake has been named for late War Amps leader Cliff Chadderton as part of the province's long-time policy of naming geographic features after war casualties.

Chadderton Lake is located in the Duck Mountains in southwest Manitoba.

 "This honour is a fitting tribute to a proud Manitoban who served his country in such an exceptional manner both during and after World War II," said Brian Forbes, Chairman of The War Amps Executive Committee, who had the privilege of working with Cliff Chadderton for over 35 years as Legal Counsel to The War Amps.

"Cliff lost his leg during the war while with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles and then devoted the rest of his life to improving the lives of veteran amputees, as well as all amputees across Canada," said Mr. Forbes.  "In addition to continuing the many programs he established, The War Amps is also ensuring that his legacy is preserved by expanding our Advocacy program so that, in addition to war amputees, the interests of all amputees are protected."

Annelise Petlock, a graduate of The War Amps Child Amputee (CHAMP) Program, now works with Mr. Forbes as Program Manager for Advocacy. "As a continuation of Cliff's lifelong work, the Advocacy Program is a crusade for reform through which we navigate and address the bureaucratic barriers and misunderstandings often confronted by amputees in society," she said.

Known to Canadians simply as "Mr. Veteran," Cliff Chadderton was recognized both nationally and internationally as an influential developer of innovative programs and services for war, civilian and child amputees, and as founder of The War Amps CHAMP Program.

A D-Day veteran, Mr. Chadderton lost part of his right leg in October 1944 while in command of a company of The Royal Winnipeg Rifles battling for the Scheldt Estuary in Belgium and Holland.  Following the war, he held several positions in The War Amps before his appointment as Executive Secretary (later Chief Executive Officer) of the Association in 1965. 

From 1965 to 1968, he served as Secretary and Executive Director of the Woods Committee, formed to conduct an extensive study on veterans pension legislation in Canada. The final three-volume study, acclaimed as the most important of its kind since the Second World War, made available to veterans for the first time a complete and detailed explanation of virtually every section of the Pension Act as well as resulted in some 148 recommendations to improve the legislation and its administration.

Mr. Chadderton was also Chairman and, at the time of his passing, Honourary Chairman, of the National Council of Veteran Associations (64 member groups). 

In recognition of his work, he received numerous awards, including Companion in the Order of Canada, the Order of Ontario, induction into the Canada Veterans Hall of Valour and the Terry Fox Hall of Fame, Knight in the Order of the Legion of Honour of France, the Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation, the Royal Bank Award for Canadian Achievement and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Mr. Chadderton passed away in 2013 and was laid to rest at Canada's National Military Cemetery in Ottawa.

SOURCE War Amps

Danita Chisholm, 1 613 797-1654 or [email protected]