Honours and Awards
Issued to Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) Members
CHISHOLM, John Allister
QUEEN'S COMMENDATION for BRAVE CONDUCT
CHISHOLM, John Allister, Lt, 0-13631 , RCN
Issued: 1-Oct-1966, Canada Gazette
"At approximately 1530 hours on 2 November 1964, while HMCS Bonaventure was undergoing a minor refit in St. John, New Brunswick, a fire was reported on Number 5 Deck in F Section. The ship's emergency party was immediately ordered to the scene and as Engineer Officer of the Day, Lt Chisholm took charge. With large volumes of dense black and nauseating smoke issuing from the compartment, reports of explosion and intense heat, and the storage of dangerous materials in nearby compartments, Lt Chisholm quickly assessed the fire as being of major proportions constituting a great danger to the ship. Dressing in Chemox breathing apparatus, he entered the compartment to personally survey the situation prior to directing the fire fighting operation. On approaching the fire area, he heard cries from an adjacent smoke filled compartment and on entering, found a stranded workman in a state of panic. He led the workman past the fire area to safety of the compartment above, where resuscitation was then administered. Returning to the fire area, he found another workman similarly trapped and in a similar manner led this man to safety. Returning a third time, he found the body of a man who had succumbed to asphyxia lying in the farthest corner of the burning compartment. With the assistance of his back-up assistant, Lt Chisholm carried the body from the fire area. Having been assured no other personnel were in the fire area, he re-entered the burning compartment to direct the fire fighting at the face of the fire. By his prompt courageous action, and disregard for his own safety, Lt Chisholm averted further loss of life and greater damage to the ship. His courage and leadership under hazardous conditions was an inspiration to the ship's fire fighting team who successfully contained and extinguished the fire."