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Auction: 24003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 230

(x) The remarkable Canadian Star of Courage group of five awarded to Purser J. J. Arpin, Air Canada, late Royal Canadian Navy, who displayed remarkable bravery during the terrifying skyjacking of Flight 812 in November 1971; Arpin cooly satisfied the hijacker that the cash ransom he was counting for the safe release of hostages was correct - which it wasn't - and then felled the hijacker with a fire axe in order to bring the ordeal to a safe ending

Canada, Star of Courage (J. J. Arpin 12-XI-1971), by Spink & Son Ltd, 5-7 King Street; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War and Canadian Service Medal 1939-45, good very fine (5)

Canadian Star of Courage, awarded 1 December 1975:

'For several hours, on November 12, 1971, Purser John Arpin displayed exceptional courage and judgement when delegated to carry out errands for a hijacker who threatened to take the lives of everyone on board an Air Canada DC8, out of Calgary, Alberta.

The extortionist ordered the aircraft to land at Great Falls, Montana, where he obtained the ransom money, and instructed Mr. Arpin to count it in front of him. Under circumstances of great pressure, the Purser shrewdly converted figures and satisfied the hijacker that the $1.5 million requested had been delivered when, in fact, there was only $50,000. Mr. Arpin, who was already under tremendous stress and had suffered numerous threats on his life, was again ordered by the hijacker to retrieve a piece of luggage from the baggage compartment.

With no more than ten minutes allowed to him and the life of the stewardess, Miss Mary Dohey, at stake, Mr. Arpin promptly completed this most unnerving task on time, and chose to rejoin his comrades in the aircraft, and share their fate. By his example of selfless courage and integrity, Purser John Arpin brought comfort to all those who shared in this perilous ordeal.'

John Joseph Arpin was a native of Rexdale, Ontario who appears to have served in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. By 1971 he was a Purser working for Air Canada and was on the Flight 812 from Vancouver to Toronto via one stop at Calgary. Little did he know that he would play a key role in the first ever skyjacking to occur with the utilizing of a parachute for escape.

The hijacker was Paul Cini, a trucker who had been inspired by a failed hijacking. His plan was to take his ransom and then parachute into the Canadian wilderness with his prize. So it was, he boarded the aircraft with a sawn-off shotgun, two bundles of dynamite, rope, a black hood, a makeshift parachute wrapped with cord and survival gear.

The aircraft carried nine crew and 114 passengers, with whom Cini planned to pose as a member of the IRA attempting to get to Northern Ireland. Flight Attendant Mary Dohey was forced to keep her hands on a bomb trigger throughout. Dohey took the demands to Flight Captain Vernon Ehman, who routed the aircraft to Great Falls, Montana. Cini permitted most of the passengers and crew to leave at this stage, with Arpin required to dupe the hijacker that the parcel of cash which had been exchanged was to the full amount requested, despite it being well short. One can only imagine the tension.

Now ordering the aircraft to move towards Phoenix, Cini then altered his mind and made the Captain make for Canada. Once over Alberta and nearing Calgary, the time came for Cini to make good and take to the wilderness. His parachute couldn't deploy due to the plastic cords wrapping it and thus Arpin smartly offered him a fire axe. At the point at which Cini put down his gun, Ehman jumped him and Arpin gave him a severe blow on the head. It rendered Cini unconscious and also broke his skull in the process, but the lives of those on board was finally secured.

Arpin was invested with the Star of Courage on 16 February 1976, whilst Flight Attendant Dohey was awarded the Cross of Valour (becoming the first living recipient) and Captain Ehman received the Medal of Bravery; sold together with his Canadian Airline Flight Attendants' Association Plaque of Honour, Investiture Booklet and copy of Legion, Winter 2001.

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Estimate
£3,000 to £5,000

Starting price
£2600