Friday 29 March 2013

Clarksburg

 
Location:  Grey County   N 44 33.083  W 080 27.825
At the convergence of Duncan Street, Russell Street and Bruce Street, in a small triangular-shaped park.

Erected in 1975, by Royal Canadian Legion Beaver Vally Branch 281, this memorial rests in Jack Acres Memorial Park.  Officially part of The Blue Mountains municipality, the village of Clarksburg once thrived at this location along the Beaver River, a short distance south of Thornbury.  Clarksburg boasts a quaint and colourful village centre with lots of history and unique shops.  The memorial is dedicated to those from this area who died in the two World Wars.  The same names appear on the memorial in Thornbury, see my entry for October 15, 2012.


Marker text:
LEST WE FORGET

THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN LOVING
MEMORY OF THE MEN OF THORNBURY
WHO FOUGHT AND DIED IN THE GREAT WARS

1914-1918
A. LYNE
F. WHATELY
E. WHATELY
G. WOOD
R. PETHER
A. SLADDEN
B. PARKINSON

1939-1945
ROBT. A. MARTIN
MASON HARGRAEVES
ALFRED ABBOTTS
WILLIAM L. GILLESPIE
IRWIN J. HARMER
DOUGLAS LOUGHEED

DEDICATED TO THOSE WHO SERVED
IN THEIR MAJESTIES FORCES
BY BEAVER VALLEY BRANCH 281
ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION
1975
  




Wednesday 27 March 2013

Curve Lake First Nation

 
Location:  Peterborough County   N 44 27.745  W 078 22.359
In a small park at the intersection of Mississauga Street and Chemong Street.

This cenotaph, a tribute to the members of the Curve Lake First Nation Band, who served in the major conflicts of the 1900's.  It stands proudly in a small, well-kept park near the village centre.  The ground surrounding the memorial is in the form of a medicine wheel, which gives great strength to the names engraved on this marker.  Originally erected in 1987, it was updated and re-dedicated in 2011.
The small park is adorned with benches, a gazebo, landscaping and the flags of Canada, Ontario, and the Flag of the Curve Lake band.
 

Marker text:
Front:
DEDICATED TO THE
MEN AND WOMEN
OF CURVE LAKE
WHO SERVED
THEIR COUNTRY

ERECTED
IN GRATEFUL MEMORY
BY A CARING COMMUNITY
 

Left side:
WORLD WAR 2
1939-1945

PRIVATES
AUBREY COPPAWAY
EDWARD COPPAWAY
ELWOOD COPPAWAY
GEORGE IRONS
SIDNEY IRONS
COLEMAN JACOBS
JIMMY JACOBS
MARION JACOBS
WILFRED JACOBS
DALLAS JOHNSON
JOSHUA JOHNSON
CLIFFORD KNOTT
FRANCIS KNOTT
MURILAND KNOTT
BERTRAM McCUE

DUDLEY SHILLING
GEORGE SUNDAY
AUSTIN TAYLOR
BENJ. TAYLOR
HORACE TAYLOR
ISAAC TAYLOR
JOHN TAYLOR
LEWIS TAYLOR
MURNEY TAYLOR
ORVILLE TAYLOR
RUSS TAYLOR Sr.
ED. WHETUNG
HIRAM TAYLOR

WALLACE WILLIAMS
ED. JOHNSON
LLOYD BROWN
SILAS SHILLING
BERDINE TAYLOR

SEPTEMBER 6, 1987

CANADIAN ARMED FORCES
LARRY TAYLOR
HUGH TAYLOR
RICHARD (CHIEF) TAYLOR
JIMMY COPPAWAY
GARNER JOHNSON
VINCENT JACOBS
RANDELL KNOTT
MICHAEL CONWAY

LENNIE MUSKRATT
JAMES ALLISON
 


Rear:
WORLD WAR 1  1939-1945

AUSTIN BEAVER
WESLEY BEAVER
ALFRED COPPAWAY
JOHN IRONS
JACOB JACOB
AMOS JOHNSON
BILLIE JOHNSON
JOSHUA JOHNSON
EWARD JOHNSON
ALEXANDER KNOTT
ALLAN KNOTT
BERT McCUE
ABRAHAM TAYLOR
CHARLES TAYLOR
HIRAM TAYLOR
HORACE TAYLOR
ISAAC TAYLOR
RUSSELL TAYLOR
SAMUEL TAYLOR
THOMAS TAYLOR
WILLIE TAYLOR
ELIJAH TAYLOR
 

Right side:
WORLD WAR 2

CORPORALS
DALTON JACOBS
ALLEN TAYLOR

AIR WOMEN
MAMIE JOHNSON
LILLIAN TAYLOR
CATHARINE TAYLOR

GUNNERS
STEPHEN TAYLOR
AMOS IRONS
ALEC KNOTT
GEORGE TAYLOR
RICHARD C. TAYLOR

MILITARY POLICE
DUNCAN WHETUNG

LANCE BOMBARDIERS
CLAYTON McCUE
WILSON COPPAWAY

SIGNAL MAN
MURRAY WHETUNG

AIR WOMEN
EVELYN McCUE
MABEL BAKER

KOREA
CLIFFORD KNOTT
GRANT TAYLOR
VERNON KNOTT
 




Sunday 24 March 2013

Lancaster



Location:  County of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry
N 45 08.452  W 074 29.980
On the north side of Duncan Street, just east of Main Street.

Originally erected in 1921, by the Red Cross Society of Glengarry, to honour those from this district who died in the First World War.  At first, this memorial consisted of a single marble shaft with a large brass plaque.  The memorial was later renovated with two new marble shafts, and the original brass plaque was refurbished to its present-day condition.  The second shaft bears the names of those lost in World War II, Korea and Afghanistan.
A pleasant park greets the visitor, with benches and landscaping in keeping with the solemn message of remembrance.  One of the trees was planted in 2009 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of flight in Canada.  Take time to reflect, and admire the sacrifice of the long list of names from the Glengarry region.
 

Marker text

Left shaft:
Front:
CANADA
1914      1919
IN MEMORY OF
THE MEN OF GLENGARRY

WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR FOR LIBERTY AND JUSTICE
ERECTED BY THE RED CROSS SOCIETY OF GLENGARRY

HENRY BARRY, JAMES BERCIER, BENNY BEYOR, HENRY BEYOR, BERNARD BILLARD, HARTLY D. BLACKWOOD, CHARLES BLANCHARD, ELI BOVINEAU, LOUIS BOVINEAU, JOSEPH BROWN, MEDOS BROWN, WILLIAM BROWN, DONALD J. CALDER, DOUGLAS U. CAMERON, WILLIAM J. CATTANACH, D.M. CHRISTIE, HUGH F. CHRISTIE, FRED CHADWICK, ARCHIBALD HUGH CHISOLM, DONALD A. CHISOLM, GEORGE COKER, DOLPHUS CREPE, JOSS DERUCHIE, DUNCAN LORNE DEWAR, McLAREN DINGWALL, PETER DICK, WILLIAM DOUGLAS, DANIEL DOULL, A. LIVINGSTON DUNLOP, JOHN DYER, THOMAS ELLIS, JOHN ELLISON, W. HAROLD FALKNER, ANDREW FERGUS, WILLIAM J. FILION, FRED FLYNN,
A.L. FOULDS, NEVILL FRASER, STANLEY FRASER, JOHN JAMES GORDON, W.T. GOVAN, CLIFFORD GRANT, GEORGE GRAVEL, DUNCAN GREY, WILLIAM GUNN, JOHN HALDANE, ALEXANDER McLEAN HOUSTON, WILDFRED HURTUBISE, CORNELIUS JAMES HURLEY, ALFRED JACQUES, ALFRED JODOIN, EARNEST JOHNSTON, ETHAN KENNEDY, NEIL KENNEDY, STUART KENNEDY, JOHN JAMES KENNY, JAMES LOUIS LAFAVE

JAMES LEFEBVRE, GEORGE LAFRAMBOISE, CHRISTOPHER LALONDE, DAVID LAROCQUE, WILLIAM LEBEAU, JOHN LAUBER, SIMON LAFERRIERE, HOMER LINDSAY MATHESON, JOHN RENWICK MATHESON, ALEX MEARS, CLIFFORD W. MELLOR, CLIFFORD MERKLEY, FRANCIS J. MOFFATT, OLIVER MONTREUIL, DONALD HUGH MONRO, HECTOR WILLIAM MURRAY, ALEXANDER DUNCAN MacDONALD, ALLAN JOSEPH MacDONALD, ALLAN RORY MacDONALD, DUNCAN ALEXANDER MacDONALD, DUNCAN JOSEPH MacDONALD, DUNCAN JOSEPH MacDONALD, GARRETT MacDONALD,
JOSPEPH KENNEDY MacDONALD, ALLAN W. MacDONALD, GEORGE FRASER MACDONALD, HUGH R. MACDONALD, ALEXANDER CLARE MACDONALD, CHARLES ANGUS MACDONALD, A. GORDON MacDOUGAL, EDWIN J. MacDOUGAL, ANGUS A. MacDOUGALD, JOHN ANGUS MacDOUGALL, A. DANIEL MACINTYRE, PETER MacKERCHER, PETER R. MacLAREN, GEORGE A. MACLENNAN, DUNCAN DAN MacMILLAN, SHELDON ALEXANDER MacMILLAN, KERL MACNAUGHTON, ARTHUR McARTHUR, DONALD A. McARTHUR, DUNCAN McCALLUM, MALCOLM J. McCALLUM, DONALD McCORMICK, HUGH McCORMICK, ARCHIBALD F. McCRIMMON, DONALD McCUAIG, HUGH F. McCUAIG, JAMES McDIARMID, ALEXANDER A. McDONALD, ALLAN R. McDONALD, ANGUS JOSEPH McDONALD, ARCHIE R. McDONALD, D.D.D. McDONALD, PHILIP J. McDONALD

JAMES McDOUGALL, DONALD McGILLIS, RODERICK McGILLIS, ARCHIBALD D. McGILLIVRAY, ARCHIE R. McGREGOR, JANET McINTOSH N.S., ALLAN McKILLOP, HUGH J. McLEAN, WALTER McLEAN, ALLAN McCLELLAN, DONALD M. McCLENNAN, HUGH SYLVESTER McCLENNAN, JOHN LAWRENCE McCLENNAN, RODERICK McCLENNAN, ALEX A. McLEOD, DONALD NEIL McLEOD, KENNETH URQUHART McLEOD, WALLACE McMARTIN, ALLAN McMILLAN, DONALD JOHN McMILLAN, DONALD JOHN McNAUGHTON, ARCHIBALD McPHEE, JOHN H, McPHEE, WILLIAM McPHEE, ALEXANDER McVICAR, CLAUDE NUNNEY, EDWARD PATTERSON, RUSSELL PHILLIPS, DENNIS POIRIER, JEROME POULIN, JOSEPH POTTER, CHARLES GEORGE PROCTOR, FRED REDMOND, JOHN LEO RICHARDSON, CLARENCE JOHN ROSS, JOHN ROSS, JOSEPH SAMSON, GEORGE SELLY, LOUIS SHEPHERD, W.A. SMILLIE, PETER SMITH, SAMUEL SMITH, DOUGLAS SMITH, D. LYALL SQUAIR, WALTER ST.JOHN, FRANK STEER, ALLAN STEWART, WEBSTER STEWART, GREGOR STUART, MURRAY C. SUTHERLAND, ALBERT TOBIN, DANIEL PATRICK TOBIN, ARPAD GRANT URQUHART, KENNETH URQUHART, JAMES WILLIAMSON, JAMES WILSON, LESLIE YOLLAND

“GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS,
THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS.”

“We lie dead in many lands, -
that you may live in peace.”
 

Left side:
MONS
YPRES
ST. ELOI
THE SELLE
THE SCARPE
FESTUBERT
CANAL DU NORD
VALENCIENNES
DROCOURT-
-QUEANT LINE
 

Right side:
ARRAS
HILL 70
AMIENS
CAMBRAI
THE SOMME
THE SAMBRE
VIMY RIDGE
MOUNT SORREL
PASCHENDAELE

Back:
“LEST WE FORGET”
 

Right shaft:
WORLD WAR II

BELLIS, R.
BENNING, F.G.
CAMPBELL, G.
CAMPBELL, R.
CLARK, H.
CRAIG, M.J.C.
DANDURAND, M.
DAOUST, H.
DUFRESNE, J.A.
DUFRESNE, E.
EDGAR, A.W.
FISHER, J
FORTIN, E.
GRANT, C.
GRANT, MUNROE
GRANT, M.

GUNN, R.
JODOIN, E.
LAPIERRE, G.
LAPIERRE, M.
MAJOR, K.J.
MacDONALD, A.
MacDONNELL, G.
PHILLIPS, N.
QUINN, T.P.
ROSS, A.
RUXTON, W.S.
URQUHART, K.R.
WASHINGTON, A.
WHITE, S.P.
WOOD, E.W.

JACQUES, J.
JARDINE, K.
MacDONNELL, A.J.
MacGREGOR, J.A.
MacINTYRE, R.
MacPHADDEN, O.
MAVILLE, J.
NICHOL, C.
ROZON, R.


Afghanistan
Sgt. Marc Leger
(3rd Battalion, PPCLI)
Age 29
April 17, 2002

Souvenons nous


Thursday 21 March 2013

Beeton - Community Park Gates

 

Location:  Simcoe County   N 44 04.847  W 079 47.257
On the north side of Prospect Street, at the entrance to the park.

This is the original memorial in Beeton, dedicated to the fallen in the Great Wars.  Another more modern cenotaph was built across the road in recent years, but today we will look at the gates.  Many communities have honoured those who served by dedicating the entrance gates to their town parks, and Beeton is no different.  Each pillar also features an iron lamp-post on the top.  The memorial was dedicated by the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 421, which is located a short distance to the west.
 

Marker text:
Right pillar:
IN MEMORIAM
EDGAR DOUGLAS
FRED FENN
OSCAR HAINES
OSCAR HAMMELL
NORMAN HENRY

NEIL MCCULLOUCH
GEORGE M. REYNOLDS
ALBERT SMART
ARTHUR SMITH
JOHN A. WRIGHT
1914 –– 1918

GERSHAM BATEMAN
HENRY CHICCONY
1939 –– 1945

AUBREY C. COBURN
ROSS ROBINSON
 

Left Pillar:
 TO THE HONOR OF THOSE
WHO SERVED IN THE GREAT WAR
1914 – – 1918

TO THE HONOR OF THOSE
WHO SERVED IN WORLD WAR II
1939 –– 1945


Sunday 10 March 2013

Brighton

 

Location:  Northumberland County   N 44 02.524  W 077 44.386
In a park on the north side of Main Street, at Kingsley Avenue.

One of the newest memorials in Ontario, replacing the old memorial with a more updated and bilingual  version.  It is my understanding that the brass plaques of the old memorial, which was unveiled in 1927 by Sir Arthur Currie, will be on display in the local Legion Branch 100 Brighton.
This new memorial was unveiled in October of 2012 in Memorial Park, on the same spot as the old.  Featuring an impressive piece of granite, with the names of all those lost from the local community, and the many conflicts our forces have endured. 
 


Marker text: (English text only)
Front:
AT THE GOING DOWN
OF THE SUN
AND IN THE MORNING
WE WILL
REMEMBER THEM

WORLD WAR I
1914-1918

JOHN BAXTER
SIDNEY BETTS
WILLIAM BRIGGS
WILLIAM CARR
CLARENCE COULTER
CECIL DARKINS
CLARENCE L.A. DAVERN
WILLIAM E. FITZGERALD
WILLIAM GROSJEAN
STANLEY HARE
ARTHUR HENNESSY
HARRY F. HITCHINS
ROBERT JOBSON
DONALD YOUNG-LESLIE
ALLAN McMASTER
WELLINGTON R. METCALF
ALEXANDER PATTERSON
FRANK D. RICHARDSON
WILLIAM H. RITTWAGE
ROBERT R. RITTWAGE
GEORGE R. ROWLEY
WALTER TAYLOR
JOHN TOUGH
GEORGE WAITE
FRANK WANNAMAKER
C. BURTON WILKINS
EDWARD WILSON
FRANK WILSON
WILLIAM WINDOVER

WORLD WAR II
1939-1945

LYALL ARMSTRONG
PAUL EVERETT COLTMAN
CARL MAX DOONAN
DONALD GRANT GOODFELLOW
CLIFTON WATT HARPER D.F.C.
DONALD STUART REDDY HEPBURN
REGINALD LIONEL  REDDY HEPBURN
GERALD ORVILLE JACKSON
CLARKE LYNSON LAWSON
GERALD THOMPSON MUTTON
ARTHUR RAYMOND SOMMERVILLE
SAMUEL JACKSON SWAIN

KOREAN WAR
1950-1953

UNITED NATIONS AND
NATO OPERATIONS
 
 

Back:
IN THE
SERVICE OF CANADA
IN
WAR AND PEACE

"LEST WE FORGET"

NILE EXPEDITION
1884-1885

BOER WAR
1899-1902

AFGHANISTAN WAR
2001-2011

MILITARY ROLES

DEFENCE OF CANADA
AND NORTH AMERICA

INTERNATIONAL
PEACE AND SECURITY

WORLD-WIDE
DISASTER RESPONSE

SECURITY OF
INTERNATIONAL
EVENTS IN CANADA
  



Friday 8 March 2013

Niagara Falls - Armoury

 
Location:  Niagara Region  N 43° 06.075 W 079° 04.400
5049 Victoria Avenue.  On the southwest corner of Victoria Avenue and Armoury Street. 

The Niagara Falls Armoury has long and proud tradition of serving the area since it was first built in 1911.  It has acted as a training centre through both World Wars and Korea, and has supported a reserve artillery unit that has sent soldiers to all conflicts since its inception.  The 10th Battery of the 56th Field Regiment of the Royal Canadian Artillery had proudly called this beautiful armoury home until 1999.  The armoury now houses the Niagara Military Museum.  The building itself is a treasured artifact, having been declared a heritage building by the city of Niagara Falls.
During the time of the First World War, the armoury led somewhat of a checkered past, as the Niagara Falls Internment Camp which housed Europeans(mostly Ukrainians) of questionable allegiance, for the duration of the war.  A plaque now signifies the event.
An impressive artillery piece from that era also adorns the front of the armoury.   A plaque tells the brief story of this gun, restored to its current condition by the Engineers.
 

Marker text:
Internment Camp:
NIAGARA FALLS INTERNMENT CAMP
During Canada's first national internment operations of 1914-1920, thousands of Ukrainians and other
Europeans were imprisoned as "enemy aliens" in 24 camps across Canada.  This plaque recalls those
held in the Niagara Falls Armoury between 15 December 1914 and 31 August 1918.

Placed by the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association with the support of
the Ukrainian Canadian community of Ontario and the 
Ukrainian Canadian Foundation of Taras Shevchenko
30 October 2004
 

Artillery piece:
This gun was presented to the
City of Niagara Falls in October, 1918 by the
Second Canadian Infantry Battalion
on behalf of Captain James E. Barry.
Doctor Barry, a former resident of Niagara Falls, 
was the Battalion's medical officer.
The gun was captured by the Battalion at the 
Battle of Amiens, August 18th, 1918, during the 
First World War.  It was completely refurbished in 
1966 by number 303 Company, Royal
Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.

Plaque installed October, 2001
By the City of Niagara Falls



 

Wednesday 6 March 2013

Toronto - William G. Barker

 

Location:  Toronto  N 43 41.562  W 079 23.400
Found in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, in front of the mausoleum.  Between Yonge Street and Mt. Pleasant Road.

This fitting memorial to the most decorated man in Canada and the British Empire, was dedicated on September 22, 2011.  A single aircraft prop adorns a simple memorial with two plaques.  A further plaque inside the memorial lists the accolades awarded to this great hero.  When he died tragically in 1930, his state funeral was the largest ever held in Toronto.
 

Major William George Barker VC

William George Barker was born in Dauphin, Manitoba on 3 November 1894. During the First World War, Barker enlisted as an infantryman, but later transferred to the Royal Flying Corps (from 1 April 1918, the Royal Air Force).
A superb fighter pilot, he was responsible for the destruction of 50 enemy aircraft.
On 27 October 1918, while flying alone over the Forêt de Mormal in France on his way back to England, Major Barker engaged successive formations of German aircraft. After shooting down an enemy two-seater, he was attacked by a fighter and suffered a wound in his thigh. Barker then found himself surrounded by enemy fighters and was again severely wounded. Nevertheless, despite his wounds, he succeeded in bringing down three more German aircraft before crashing behind his own lines. For his conduct on this occasion, Major Barker was awarded the Victoria Cross.
Barker was killed in a flying accident at Rockcliffe airport, near Ottawa, on 12 March 1930. In addition to the Victoria Cross, for his wartime service Barker received the Distinguished Service Order with one bar, and the Military Cross with two bars.

Citation

“On the morning of the 27th October, 1918, this officer observed an enemy two-seater over the Fôret de Mormal.  He attacked this machine, and after a short burst it broke up in the air.  At the same time a Fokker biplane attacked him, and he was wounded in the right thigh, but managed, despite this, to shoot down the enemy aeroplane in flames.
He then found himself in the middle of a large formation of Fokkers, who attacked him from all directions; and was again severely wounded in the left thigh; but succeeded in driving down two of the enemy in a spin.
He lost consciousness after this, and his machine fell out of control.  On recovery he found himself being again attacked heavily by a large formation, and singling out one machine, he deliberately charged and drove it down in flames.
During this fight his left elbow was shattered, and he again fainted, and on regaining consciousness he found himself still being attacked, but, notwithstanding that he was now severely wounded in both legs and his left arm shattered, he dived on the nearest machine and shot it down in flames.
Being greatly exhausted, he dived out of the fight to regain our lines, but was met by another formation, which attacked and endeavoured to cut him off, but after a hard fight he succeeded in breaking up this formation and reached our lines, where he crashed on landing.
This combat, in which Major Barker destroyed four enemy machines (three of them in flames), brought his total successes up to fifty enemy machines destroyed, and is a notable example of the exceptional bravery and disregard which this very gallant officer has always displayed throughout his distinguished career.
Major Barker was awarded the Military Cross on 10th January, 1917; first Bar on 18th July, 1917; the Distinguished Service Order on 18th February, 1918; second Bar to Military Cross on 16th September, 1918; and Bar to Distinguished Service Order on 2nd November, 1918.”
*taken from  http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/gal/vcg-gcv/bio/barker-wg-eng.asp
 

Marker text:
Outside:
WILLIAM BARKER VC
1894 - 1930
THE MOST DECORATED
WAR HERO IN THE
HISTORY OF CANADA
AND THE BRITISH EMPIRE

HE IS ENTOMBED IN THIS MAUSOLEUM AT THE
END OF THE SECOND HALL ON THE RIGHT
 

Inside:
WILLIAM GEORGE BARKER VC
1894 - 1930

MOST DECORATED WAR HERO IN THE HISTORY OF CANADA
THE BRITISH EMPIRE, AND THE COMMONWEALTH OF NATIONS

VICTORIA CROSS
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER (TWICE)
MILITARY CROSS (THREE TIMES)
MENTIONED IN DISPATCHES (THREE TIMES)
MEDAGLIA D'ARGENTO AL VALOUR MILITARE (ITALY-TWICE)
CROIX DE GEURRE (FRANCE)

Born in a log cabin in Manitoba, he entered the Great War as a simple soldier.
He soon joined the Royal Flying Corps, first as observer, then as pilot.
He rose in rank and fame, and became so skilled
that during his last twelve months of combat
not one pilot under his command
or aeroplane under his escort
was lost to the enemy.

By war's end, he had downed fifty enemy aircraft.
His fellow ace, William Avery Bishop VC, would call him
"THE DEADLIEST AIR FIGHTER WHO EVER LIVED"

After he died in an aviation accident,
his state funeral was the largest ever held
in the history of Toronto.
   
Above photo borrowed from: *http://www.torontoplaques.com/Pages_VWZ/William_George_Barker.html


Monday 4 March 2013

Goderich - Sherman Tank


 

Location:  Huron County  N 43° 44.814 W 081° 42.620
On the south side of Trafalgar Street, between North Street and Bluewater.

A static memorial featuring a Sherman Tank, along with a plaque dedicated to those who served in World War Two in the famous tank, as well as to those who produced the tanks back at home.  The history and stats of this popular armoured vehicle are listed on the plaque.  Marking on this tank are representing the command tank of Major David Currie V.C., South Alberta Regiment.



Marker text:
(Legion crest)
SHERMAN TANK
This Sherman Tank stands as a trubute
to the valour of the Tanks Crews of all 
allied armies who used Shermans in every theatre of
World War II.  It commemorates also, all those men
and women who worked in the Arsenal of Democracy
producing some 40,000 of these American weapons.

Crew Members: 5, 1-76mm Cannon, 3 Machine Guns,
Range: 120 Miles, Weight: 35 Tons, Top Speed: 24 MPH.

Oct. 1942 - The Sherman Tank received its baptism of
fire with the British Eighth Army in the Battle of El 
Alamein, Egypt.  June 6, 1944 - The British upgunned
six hundred Shermans with their famous seventeen
pounder anti-tank gun for the D-Day invasion of Nor-
mandy.  This, the Firefly Sherman was the most suc-
cessful tank used by the British and Canadian armies.

SHERMANS IN THE CANADIAN ARMY
Fourteen Canadian Armoured Regiments of Sherman
Tanks fought in Sicily,, Italy, Northwest Europe and 
Korea.  One of the most famous exploits of the Sher-
man Tank was that of Major David Currie, command-
ing "C" Squadron, the South Alberta Regiment, who
won the Victoria Cross August 20, 1944, in the battle
of the Falaise Gap, France.  The Insignia on Sherman
78-901 commemorates Major Currie's command tank.