Victoria Crosses Return Home
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CFB SHILO Bldg. L125, Shilo, Manitoba R0K 2A0 204 765-2343 Now available Shipping is available to our Winnipeg customers! August 27, 2014 VOLUME 63, ISSUE 14 FREE Visit us online at: www.thevoxair.ca or Victoria Crosses Return Home Medal bearers (left to right) Captain Josh Fordham, Master Warrant Officer Wayne Nicholson and Corporal David Badger prepare to escort Victoria Crosses to their display during the Victoria Cross Ceremony held at the Manitoba Museum on August 6, 2014. For more, see page 2. Photo: Cpl Paul Shapka Citizen WCWO 1CAD Holds Fall Fair CFAD Dundurn Summer Soldiers Robertson Honours & Shaping Up to Runners Pay Sports Camp Fight the Sits Down Awards Be Best Ever Tribute to Wraps Up Flood with the Ceremony Metis Veterans With Circus Voxair In this issue: In this Page 3 Page 6 Page 8 Page 11 Page 14 Page 16 PER ARDUA AD ASTRA “THROUGH ADVERSITY TO THE STARS” • Complete Auto Service • Computer Diagnostics Phone: 204-984-6432 • Government Inspections Steven Fletcher, Fax: 204-984-6451 • Evening Hours Member of Parliament 3111-A Portage Avenue Charleswood-St.James-Assiniboia Winnipeg, Manitoba R3K-0W4 3797 Portage Avenue (Portage at St. Charles St.) Phone: 885-2690 or 632-8909 Fax: 885-2705 FOR REGULAR UPDATES ON STEVEN FLETCHER VISIT WWW.STEVENFLETCHER.COM 2 VOXAIR, 17 Wing Winnipeg, 27 August, 2014 Pine Street Boys Honoured at MB Museum come the medals back. It was an especially poignant cer- emony since 2014 marks the 100th anniversary of the CORPORAL LEO CLARKE won his V.C. in the start of WWI. trenches during the battle of the Somme. Cpl “I think the ceremony was beautifully done,” said Clarke found himself alone, and under attack by Jennifer Clarke, a great niece of Leo Clarke, who was 20 enemy soldiers. Instead of surrendering, Cpl there with several other members of the Clarke family. Clarke attacked, emptying his revolver twice and “It was very meaningful personally and also for my then firing a German rifle he picked up from the dad, Leo.” ground. In the struggle that followed, a German of- Clarke says her father donated the Cpl Clarke’s Vic- ficer bayonetted him in the knee before Cpl Clarke toria Cross to the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa two could shoot him. Wounded and bleeding, Clarke years ago. kept up the attack, and as enemy soldiers fled Cpl Claudette Leclerc, Executive Director of the Mani- Clarke followed, killing four more and taking a toba Museum, commended the efforts of Major Paddy prisoner. Though he was ordered to hospital, Cpl Douglass, Deputy Commanding Officer Winnipeg Infan- Clarke returned to battle the next day. Cpl Clarke try Tactical Group-- Rifles and Camerons, for being the died in action a month later. brainchild behind bringing the Valour Road VC’s here. SERGEANT-MAJOR FREDERICK WILLIAM HALL Leclerc said that having the medals at the museum was awarded the V.C. for giving his life to save a was a great opportunity for people to learn about WWI, comrade at the battle of Ypres. On the morning of February 21, 1915, men in the trench heard the The medals are placed in their display case during the and about military life in genral. Victoria Cross Ceremony held at the Manitoba Museum, “Speaking to military representatives, including an groans of an injured soldier on the battlefield. Sgt Winnipeg Manitoba. Photo: Cpl Paul Shapka Afghanistan war veteran, in the past few days has made Maj Hall and two others volunteered to go after the military real to the average Canadian again. The him, but as they went over the top they drew heavy By Martin Zeilig military people we worked with wore their hearts on fire. The two other men were injured, and all were Voxair Photojournalist their sleeves. We were all honoured they could be part forced back to their trench. After a few minutes, It was 100 years in the making, and took two years of of this.” Sgt Maj Hall went out alone in broad daylight, planning, but the Victoria Cross medals won during the Maj Douglass first approached the Canadian War with enemy guns waiting for him. He crawled out First World War by The Pine Street Boys are finally on Museum to see if it was viable to have Shankland’s med- and across the field under a hail of bullets. Reach- display, along with related artifacts, in the foyer of the al put on display in Winnipeg to mark the centennial ing the fallen soldier, Hall managed to wriggle Manitoba Museum. of the Cameron Highlanders because Shankland served himself under the wounded man and begin moving Corporal Leo Clarke, Sergeant-Major Frederick Wil- with the 43rd Battlation Canadian Expeditionary Force. him on his back toward his lines. However, when liam Hall, and Lieutenant Robert Shankland all received “I asked the Manitoba Museum if we could have a Sgt Maj Hall raised his head to find his way back the V.C. for their bravery in battles, and they all lived on centennial display. So, in 2010 for the Cameron’s High- to the trench, he caught a bullet in the head and the same block of Pine Street, which was later renamed landers 100th anniversary, we had such a display at the died instantly. Valour Road in honour of their extraordinary courage. museum. When that was over I asked the War Museum At the battle of Passchendaele, LIEUTENANT The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest military deco- if they had the other two medals –and they did by Au- ROBERT SHANKLAND led his men to a forward po- ration awarded for valour in the face of the enemy to gust 2012.” sition which they held during a fierce counter-at- members of the armed forces of the Commonwealth Then, Douglass approached the Royal Military In- tack. Knowing that an accurate description of his countries and previous British Empire territories. It stitute of Manitoba to ask if they’d oversee the event, company’s position was critical to the Allied battle may be awarded to a person of any rank in any service which they agreed to do. plan, Lt Shankland made his way alone through and to civilians under military command. “It took six to seven months of planning, but the med- the battlefield to Battalion Headquarters, deliv- A formal ceremony, attended by over 300 people, was als are part of Manitoba history. They represent a win- ered the necessary information, and returned the held on August 6 in the museum’s Alloway Hall to wel- dow on the Winnipeg of 1914. It makes it real, a tangible way he had come. Rejoining his men, Lt Shank- piece of that history.” land carried on defending his position until the The trio of VC’s are on loan to the Manitoba Museum end of the battle. Of the three Victoria Cross recipi- from the Canadian War Museum until November, 14, ents from Valour Road, only Shankland survived 2014. The exhibit is located in the Museum’s foyer and the war. there is no charge. Sources: Manitoba Museum; Historica Canada website Benny Woligroski - Tel: 204 999 3338 MovePlaces.com Realty Executives First Choice Buy or Sell with me and receive a EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY $500 gift card of your choice. VOXAIR OFFICE HOURS CONTACT Monday to Friday Ad Sales/Main Office Submissions/Reporter ATTENTION: 0830 -1500 hrs (204) 833-2500 ext 4120 (204) 833-2500 ext 6976 Accounting [email protected] Career-Transisitioning Military (204) 833-2500 ext 4121 +VOXAIR@PersSvcs@Winnipeg VOXAIR STAFF You have served your term. LCol Danielle Clouter Brittany Nordman Traci Wright Editor-In-Chief Production Designer Proofreading You are, or will be, looking at an honourable discharge. (204) 833-2500 ext 5281 Martin Zeilig Capt McCulloch-Drake Rick Harris Photojournalist Wing Public Managing Editor Affairs Officer Then what: Looking for a decent lifestyle with decent income? 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