Francis Pegahmagabow: A Hero in War, a Warrior for His People

Honouring Indigenous Veterans Day, November 8

He survived some of the deadliest battles of the First World War. He earned three awards for bravery, became one of Canada's most accomplished military snipers, and served his country for nearly the entire war.

But when Francis Pegahmagabow returned home, the country he had fought to defend did not afford him the same rights and freedoms enjoyed by other Canadians.

His story is one of extraordinary courage, both on the battlefield and in the years that followed.

From Georgian Bay to the Battlefields of Europe

Francis Pegahmagabow was born on March 9, 1889, near Georgian Bay, Ontario. An Ojibwe (Anishinaabe) man of the Caribou Clan, he belonged to what is now Wasauksing First Nation.

When the First World War began in August 1914, Pegahmagabow was among the first Canadians to enlist. He volunteered just ten days after Britain declared war on Germany.

He would spend nearly four years serving on the Western Front, fighting in some of the most brutal battles of the war, including Ypres, the Somme, and Passchendaele.

His fellow soldiers called him "Peggy."

He became renowned for his extraordinary marksmanship, patience, and ability to move undetected through dangerous territory. As both a sniper and a scout, he undertook missions that required remarkable courage and composure.

He was also deeply connected to his Anishinaabe spirituality. Throughout the war, he carried a small medicine pouch given to him before he left Canada, believing it offered him protection.

Three Awards for Extraordinary Bravery

Pegahmagabow was awarded the Military Medal and two bars, meaning he was recognized three separate times for bravery.

His first award recognized his courage as a messenger, carrying vital information between military positions while exposed to enemy fire.

His second came during the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917, where he maintained contact between units and helped guide reinforcements through the confusion of battle.

His third followed an extraordinary act in August 1918.

With his company running dangerously low on ammunition and facing the possibility of being surrounded, Pegahmagabow ventured into heavy enemy fire to retrieve desperately needed supplies.

His actions helped his fellow soldiers withstand an enemy attack.

By the end of the war, he had become one of Canada's most highly decorated Indigenous soldiers.

He returned home in 1919, having survived years of warfare that claimed the lives of tens of thousands of Canadian soldiers.

A Different Battle at Home

For many Indigenous soldiers, military service offered an experience that stood in stark contrast to their lives in Canada.

On the battlefield, they fought alongside other Canadians, shared the same dangers, and depended upon one another for survival.

But returning home did not mean returning to equality.

First Nations people continued to live under the restrictions of the Indian Act. Many were denied the federal vote unless they gave up their legal Indian status, and Indigenous veterans faced barriers and unequal treatment in accessing postwar opportunities and benefits.

Pegahmagabow, despite his extraordinary military record, returned to a country in which he remained subject to discriminatory laws and government control.

He had fought for freedom overseas. Now he would devote much of his life to fighting for the rights of his own people.

A Warrior for His People

Following the war, Pegahmagabow became a leader in his community, serving as Chief of the Parry Island Band, now Wasauksing First Nation, and later as a band councillor.

He challenged government interference in First Nations affairs and advocated for treaty rights, political representation, and greater independence for Indigenous communities.

His efforts extended beyond his own First Nation. In 1943, he became Supreme Chief of the Native Independent Government, an early Indigenous rights organization.

His determination was evident in both chapters of his life.

During the war, he had risked his life to protect his fellow soldiers.

In peacetime, he challenged a system that denied his people fundamental rights.

Francis Pegahmagabow died on August 5, 1952, at the age of 63.

In 2019, Parks Canada designated him a person of national historic significance, recognizing both his military accomplishments and his advocacy for Indigenous rights.

Why We Remember on November 8

Every November 8, Canada observes Indigenous Veterans Day.

Some people wonder why Indigenous veterans are recognized on a separate day when Remembrance Day already honours everyone who served.

The answer lies in a history that was too often overlooked.

Thousands of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people served in Canada's military, frequently overcoming discrimination simply to enlist.

They fought, suffered, and died alongside their fellow Canadians. Yet many returned to communities where they continued to face discriminatory laws, restrictions on their rights, and unequal access to opportunities and veterans' benefits.

Their contributions were not always acknowledged in the broader telling of Canada's military history.

Indigenous Veterans Day was established in 1994 to help ensure those stories would no longer be forgotten.

It does not diminish Remembrance Day or the sacrifices of other Canadian veterans. It provides an opportunity to recognize a part of our shared history that deserves greater understanding.

Francis Pegahmagabow's life reminds us that courage takes many forms.

He was a soldier, a decorated war hero, a community leader, a husband, and a father.

He served his country with distinction, and he spent the rest of his life standing up for his people.

On Indigenous Veterans Day, we honour Francis Pegahmagabow and all First Nations, Métis, and Inuit veterans whose courage, service, and sacrifice are part of Canada's history.

Lest we forget.

Sources and Further Reading

• Veterans Affairs Canada -  Francis Pegahmagabow

• Parks Canada  - Francis Pegahmagabow (1889–1952), National Historic Person

• Department of National Defence - The World Wars: Aboriginal People in the Canadian Military

• Veterans Affairs Canada - Indigenous Veterans