22 Facts About Francis Pegahmagabow

Francis Pegahmagabow was the most highly decorated Indigenous soldier in Canadian military history and the most effective sniper of the First World War.

Francis Pegahmagabow corresponded with and met other noted aboriginal figures including Fred Loft, Jules Sioui, Andrew Paull and John Tootoosis.

Francis Pegahmagabow was born on March 9,1891, on what is the Shawanaga First Nation reserve in Nobel, Ontario.

When Francis was three years old, his father died and his mother subsequently left him to return to her home in the Henvey Inlet First Nation.

Francis Pegahmagabow was raised by elder Noah Nebimanyquod and grew up in Shawanaga, where he learned traditional skills such as hunting, fishing, and traditional medicine.

In January 1912 Francis Pegahmagabow received financial aid for room and board to complete his public school education with the help of the Parry Sound crown attorney Walter Lockwood Haight.

Francis Pegahmagabow had left school at the age of 12 and worked at lumber camps and fishing camps; he eventually became a marine firefighter.

Francis Pegahmagabow was posted to the 23rd Canadian Regiment.

Francis Pegahmagabow's battalion took part in the Battle of the Somme in 1916, during which he was wounded in the left leg.

Francis Pegahmagabow recovered in time to return to the 1st Battalion as they moved to Belgium.

Francis Pegahmagabow received the Military Medal for carrying messages along the lines during these two battles.

Francis Pegahmagabow's company was almost out of ammunition and in danger of being surrounded.

Francis Pegahmagabow braved heavy machine gun and rifle fire by going into no man's land and brought back enough ammunition to enable his post to carry on and assist in repulsing heavy enemy counter-attacks.

The war ended in November 1918 and in 1919 Francis Pegahmagabow was invalided back to Canada.

Francis Pegahmagabow had served for almost the whole war, and had built a reputation as a skilled marksman.

Francis Pegahmagabow was re-elected in 1924 and served until he was deposed via an internal power struggle in April 1925.

Historian Paul Williams termed these advocates "returned soldier chiefs", and singled out a few, including Francis Pegahmagabow, as being especially active.

Daly and other agents who came in contact with Francis Pegahmagabow were incredibly frustrated by his attempts, in his words, to free his people from "white slavery".

Francis Pegahmagabow is a member of the Indian Hall of Fame at the Woodland Centre in Brantford, Ontario, and his memory is commemorated on a plaque honoring him and his regiment on the Rotary and Algonquin Regiment Fitness Trail in Parry Sound.

Francis Pegahmagabow was honored by the Canadian Forces by naming the 3rd Canadian Ranger Patrol Group HQ Building at CFB Borden after him.

In 2019, the history-themed power metal band Sabaton released a song dedicated to Francis Pegahmagabow, titled "A Ghost in the Trenches", on their album The Great War.

Francis Pegahmagabow was portrayed by Keenan Keeshig in the 2022 movie The Ace and the Scout.