Portage Military Cenotaph

Erected by the Prairie Gateway Chapter of the Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire (I.O.D.E.) and the citizens of Portage la Prairie, this memorial is dedicated to the memory of the local war dead of the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War. The Portage Military Cenotaph was fabricated, engraved and erected in 1926 by Guinn & Simpson Memorials at the corner of Saskatchewan Ave West and 1st Street S.W. in memory of the Veterans who lost their lives in the First World War. Subsequently the Veterans of the Second World War were honoured by a Bronze Plaque secured to a Sub Base of the memorial containing the names of those who paid the supreme sacrifice. The Korean War Plaque with a lone casualty is installed on the lower base of the memorial. The Cenotaph was dismantled in November 1960 and reinstalled in May 1961 by Guinn & Simpson Memorials in its present location to allow space for the construction of the Post Office. The White Marble Statue was hand carved in Italy, the Cap immediately below the Statue is made of Manitoba Tyndall Stone, the Die (Top Section) of the Cenotaph is fabricated in Bocabec Black Granite from Sweden with the names of First World War Veterans. Below the Top Section is the 1st sub base of Manitoba Tyndall Stone, the second sub base also Manitoba Tyndall Stone with the Bronze Plaque with the names of the Second World War Veterans. The Bottom Base of Tyndall Stone contains a Bronze Plaque commemorating the Korean War. The Second World War Bronze Plaque has been cleaned and refurbished by Guinn & Simpson and is to be rededicated on Sunday September 17, 2000 at 2:00 p.m. Article prepared and submitted by Murray Guinn formerly of Guinn & Simpson Memorials.