The Canadian War Museum has unveiled a new attraction -- the First World War Victoria Cross of Captain Francis Scrimger.

A Montreal native who studied medicine at McGill University before the war, Scrimger served with the Royal Montreal Regiment (14th Battalion) during the Second Battle of Ypres.

Scrimger was the first medical officer to receive the British Commonwealth's highest military decoration for bravery and gallantry, after he conducted the evacuation of a medical station in what is believed to have been the first use of poisonous gas in battle.

In April 1915, When German forces unleashed the deadly chlorine gas on Allied forces in Belgium, Scrimger instructed the men in his battalion to breathe through moistened handkerchiefs.

Because the gas was water-soluble, his advice was credited with saving many lives.

Days later, when the farm building where the wounded were being treated came under heavy fire, Scrimger led the evacuation. Before it was over, he carried a severely wounded officer away from the facility. And when he couldn't carry the injured officer any further, he waited with him until help arrived.

Scrimger was not only awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery, he also had a mountain near the Kootenays named in his honour.

On Monday, Scrimger's descendants donated his rare medal -- alongside two other medals he received -- to the War Museum in Ottawa.

According to Scrimger's grandson, Dr. John Wooton, selling the medals to a collector was never an option.

"I don't think it would be acceptable in our family to take financial reward from anything of great historical importance," Wooten told CTV News.

Only 94 Canadians have ever been honoured with the Victoria Cross.