Winnipeg Cenotaph

When Winnipeg's first temporary cenotaph in front of the Bank of Montreal at Portage and Main was removed in 1923 due to its condition, the time had come to create a new, permanent cenotaph. The city created a Cenotaph Committee chaired by former Mayor R. D. Waugh and held a national design competition that received 48 proposals. The design by Toronto artist Emanuel Hahn was chosen.

The choice was protested by several groups because Hahn was born in Germany, had come to Canada in 1892 at the age of eleven and was a naturalized Canadian. On February 25, 1926, it was decided to hold a new competition and Hahn was paid the five hundred dollars despite the rejection. The new competition was re-opened to persons British-born or born in countries which were allies of Britain during the war. The winning design by Elizabeth Wyn-Wood of Toronto, who happened to be the wife of Emmanuel Hahn, was rejected by the citizens. She was paid for her design and Gilbert Parfitt was chosen.

Parfitt's design was a column of stone with a bronze sword, cross and small lion heads. Construction began in December 1927 and the cenotaph was officially dedicated on November 7, 1928.

[front/devant]
YPRES
FESTUBERT
ST. ELOI
MOUNT SORREL

(top plaque/plaque du haut)
ERECTED
IN HONOUR OF
OUR CITIZENS WHO
GAVE THEIR LIVES
IN LOYAL AND
NOBLE SERVICE
IN THE
WORLD WAR
1914 - 1918
"THEIR BODIES ARE
BURIED IN PEACE BUT
THEIR NAME LIVETH
FOR EVERMORE."

(bottom plaque/plaque en bas)
1914-1918 1939-1945 1950-1953
KNOW ALL YE WHO PASS BY
THAT FOR YOUR TOMORROW
WE GAVE OUR TODAY

PEACEKEEPING
SERVICE DE LA PAIX

(bottom/bas)
1918

[right side/côté droit]
SOMME
HILL 70
VIMY RIDGE
PASSCHENDEALE

(top plaque/plaque du haut)
THE SECOND WORLD WAR 1939-1945
R.C.N. / R.C.N.V.R. / MERCHANT NAVY

• (column 1/colonne 1)
• RIVER PLATE 13 DEC. 39
• NARVIK 10 AND 13 APR. 40
• NORWAY 1940-45
• FLEET AIR ARM ATTACKS
• DUNKIRK 26 MAY - 4 JUNE 40
• CALABRIA 9 JULY 40
• SPADA 19 JULY 40
• TARANTO 11 NOV. 40
• SPARTIVENTO 27 NOV. 40
• MATAPAN 28 AND 29 MARCH 41
• AFAX 15 AND 16 APRIL 41
• CAPE BON 13 DEC. 41
• LIBYA SEPT. 1940 TO JUNE 42
• "TIRPITZ"
• "BISMARCK" 23 TO 27 MAY 41
•  
•  
• (column 2/colonne 2)
• SIRTE 22 MARCH 42
• ST. NAZAIRE 28 MARCH 42
• DIEGO SUAREZ 5 TO 7 MAY 42
• CORAL SEA 7 MAY 42
• SAVO ISLAND 9 AUG. 42
• DIEPPE 19 AUG. 42
• BARENTS SEA 7 MAY 42
• GUADALCANAL AUG. 42 TO FEB. 43
• NORTH AFRICA 8 NOV. 42 TO 20 FEB. 43
• SICILY 10 JULY TO 17 AUG. 43
• KULA GULF 13 JULY 43
• SALERNO 9 SEPT. TO 6 OCT. 43
• ALGEAN 7 SEPT. TO 28 NOV. 43 AND 44
• NORTH CAPE 26 DEC. 43
• ADRIATIC 44
• ANZIO 22 TO 31 JAN. 44
• NORMANDY 6 JUNE TO 3 JULY 44
• (column 3/colonne 3)
• SABANO 25 JULY 44
• SOUTH FRANCR 15 TO 27 AUG. 44
• LEYTE GULF 23 TO 27 OCT. 44
• WALCHEREN 1 NOV. 44
• MALAYA 1942-45
• BURMA OCT. 44 TO APR. 45 MAY TO AUG. 45
• LINGAYEN GULF 5 TO 9 JAN. 45
• OKINAWA 26 MARCH TO 25 MAY 45
• JAPAN 16 JULY TO 11 AUG. 45
• ATLANTIC 1939-45
• ENGLISH CHANNEL 1939-45
• NORTH SEA 1939-45
• BISCAY 1940-45
• MEDITERRANEAN 1940-45
• MALTA CONVOYS 1941-42
• ARCTIC 1941-45

(centre/centre)
R.C.A.F.

• (column 1/colonne 1)
• BATTLE OF BRITAIN 1940
• DEFENCE OF BRITAIN 1940-45
• ATLANTIC 1939-45
• ENGLISH CHANNEL AND NORTH SEA
• 1939-45
• BALTIC 1939-45
• FORTRESS EUROPE 1940-44
• DIEPPE
•  
•  
•  
• (column 2/colonne 2)
• FRANCE AND GERMANY 1944-45
• BISCAY PORTS 1940-45 NORMANDY 1944
• RUHR 1940-45 ARNHEM
• BERLIN 1940-45 WALCHEREN
• GERMAN PORTS 1940-45 RHINE
• BISCAY 1940-45
• EGYPT AND LIBYA 1940-43
• EL HAMMA
• NORTH AFRICA 1942-43
• SICILY
•  
• (column 3/colonne 3)
• ITALY 1943-45
• SALERNO GUSTAV LINE
• ANZIO AND NETTUNO GOTHIC LINE
• CEYLON 1942
• EASTERN WATERS 1941-45
• BURMA 1944-45
• ARCTIC 1940-45
• NORTH WEST ATLANTIC
• PACIFIC COAST 1941-45
• ALEUTIANS 1942-43

(centre/centre)
KOREA 1950-1953 CANADIAN ARMY

• (column 1/colonne 1)
• PUSAN 1 AUG.-15 SEPT. 50
• NAKTONG BRIDGEHEAD
• 16-25 SEPT. 50
• SONGJU CHONGJU
• YONGJU
•  
•  
• (column 2/colonne 2)
• CHONGCHON I 11-25 NOV. 50
• CHONGCHON II 25-30 NOV. 50
• YONGWON-NI
• HUNGHAM 27 NOV.-24 DEC. 50
• UIJONGBU
•  
•  
• (column 3/colonne 3)
• SEOUL 2-4 JAN. 51
• CHUNCHUNG-DONG THE IMJIN HILL 227 II
• OCHUAM-NI KAPYONG HILL 355
• HILL 327 CHALL-LI THE HOOK 1952
• HILL 419 KOWANG-SUN POCHON-NI
• MAEHWA-SUN MARYANG-SUN THE HOOK 1953
• KAPYONG-CHON HILL 227 I THE SAMICHON

(bottom plaque/plaque en bas)
1914-1918 1939-1945 1950-1953
KNOW ALL YE WHO PASS BY
THAT FOR YOUR TOMORROW
WE GAVE OUR TODAY

(bottom/bas)
1914

[flagpole plaque/plaque de mât]
1988
WINNIPEG CENOTAPH
MEMORIAL FUND
THE FOLLOIWNG DONORS CONTRIBUTIONS
ARE GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGED
CITY OF WINNIPEG
PROVINCE OF MANITOBA
JAMES RICHARDSON AND SONS, LIMITED
INVESTORS GROUP INC.
THE GREAT-WEST LIFE ASSURANCE CO.

[back/arrière]
SOMME
AMIENS
ARRAS
DROCOURT-QUEANT

(top plaque/plaque du haut)
THEY SHALL
NOT GROW OLD,
AS WE THAT ARE
LEFT GROW OLD.
AGE SHALL NOT
WEARY THEM,
NOR THE YEARS
CONDEMN.
AT THE GOING DOWN
OF THE SUN AND
IN THE MORNING
WE WILL
REMEMBER THEM.

(bottom plaque/plaque en bas)
1914-1918 1939-1945 1950-1953

KNOW ALL YE WHO PASS BY
THAT FOR YOUR TOMORROW
WE GAVE OUR TODAY

(bottom/bas)
1914

[left side/côté gauche]
CANAL DU NORD
CAMBRAI
VALENCIENNES
MONS

(top plaque/plaque du haut)
THE SECOND WORLD WAR 1939-1945

CANADIAN ARMY

• (column 1/colonne 1)
• SOUTH-EAST ASIA 8 DEC. 41-9 MAR. 42
• HONG KONG
• NORTH-WEST EUROPE 10 MAY 40-19 AUG. 42
• DIEPPE
• SICILY 9 JUL. 43-17 AUG. 43
• LANDING IN SICILY 9-12 JUL. 43
• GRAMMICHELE ASSORO
• PIAZZA ARMERINA LEONFORTE
• VALGUARNERA AGIRA
• ADRANO 29 JUL.-7 AUG. 43
• CALENAUOVA TROINA VALLEY
• REGALBUTO PURSUIT TO MESSINA
• CENTURIPE
• THE SANGRO 19 NOV.-9 DEC. 43
• CASTEL DI SANGRO ORTONA
• THE MORO VILLA GRANDE
• SAN LEONARDO S. NICOLA - S. TOMMASO
• THE GULLY POINT 59
• CASA BERNARDI
• MONTE CAMINO 5 NOV.-9 DEC. 43
• MONTE LA DIFFENSA MONTE LA REMETANCA
• MONTE MAJO
• ANZIO 22 JAN.-22 MAY 44
• CASSINO II 11-18 MAY 44
• GUSTAV LINE PIGNATARO
• ST. ANGELO IN TEODICE
• LIRI VALLEY 18-30 MAY 44
• HITLER LINE CEPRANO
• AQUINO TORRICE CROSSROADS
• MELFA CROSSING
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
• (column 2/colonne 2)
• ROME 22 MAY-14 JUN. 44
• ADVANCE TO THE TIBER
• TRANSIMENE LINE 20-30 JUN. 44
• SANFUTICCHE GABBIANO
• AREZZO 4-17 JUL. 44
• TUORI
• ADVANCE TO FLORENCE 17 JUL.-10 AUG. 44
• CERRONE
• GOTHIC LINE 25 AUG.-22 SEP. 44
• MONTECICCARDO MONTE LURO
• MONTECCHIO BORGO SANTA MARIA
• POINT 204 OR TOMBA DI PESSARO
• POZZO ALTE RIDGE
• LAMONE CROSSING 2-13 DEC. 44
• MISANO RIDGE
• RIMMI LINE 14-21 SEP. 44
• SAN MARTINO- FUSSON MUNIO
• SAN LORENZO CONVENTELLO-
• SAN FORTANATO COMACCHIO
• CASALE GRANAROLA
• SANT ANGELO MARRADI
• IN SALUTE MONTE DE CASTELNUOVO
• BULGARIA VILLAGE MONTE CASSALINO
• CESENA MONTE CECC
• PISCIALEBA MONTO LA PIEVE
• SAVIO BRIDGEHEAD MONTO SPADURO
• CAPTURE OF RAVENNA MONTE SAN BARTOLO
• NAVIGLIO CANAL FOSSO VECCHIO
• NORTH-WEST EUROPE 6 JUN. 44-5 MAY 45
• SOUTHERN FRANCE 15-28 AUG. 44
• NORMANDY LANDING 6 JUN. 44
• MERVILLE BATTERY BRETTEVILLE
• AUTHIE L'ORGUEILLEURS
• PUTOT-EN-BESSIN LE MESNIL-PATRY
•  
•  
•  
•  
• (column 3/colonne 3)
• THE ODON 25 JUN.-2 JUL. 44
• CAEN 4-18 JUL. 44
• CARPIQUET
• THE ORNE OR THE ORNE (BURON)
• BOURGEBUS RIDGE 8-25 JUL. 44
• FAUBOURGE DE VAUCELLES MALIOT
• ST. ANDRE-SUR-ORNE VERRIERES RIDGE-
• TILLY LA CAMPAGNE
• FALAISE 7-23 AUG. 44
• FALAISE ROAD THE SEINE
• QUESNAY WOOD MOERBRUGGE
• CLAIR TISON DUNKIRK 1944
• THE LIASON LE HAVRE
• CHAMBOIS BOULOGNE 1944
• ST. LAMBERT-SUR-DIVES CALAIS 1944
• DIVES CROSSING MOERKERKE
• FORET DE LA LONDE WYNEGHEM
• ANTWERP-TURNHOUT
• CANAL
• THE SCHELDT 1 OCT.-8 NOV. 44
• LEOPOLD CANAL WALCHEREN CAUSEWAY
• WOENSDRECHT THE LOWER MAAS
• SAVOJADS PLANT KAPELSCHE VEER
• BRESKENS POCKET THE ROER
• SOUTH BEVELAND
• THE RHINELAND 8 FEB.-10 MAR. 45
• THE REICHSWALD GOCH-CALCAR ROAD
• WAAL FLATS THE HOCHWALD
• CIEVE XANTEN
• MOYLAND WOOD VEEN
• THE RHINE 23 MAR.-1 APR. 45
• EUMMERICH-HOCHEITEN APELDOORN
• TWENTE CANAL LISSELMEER
• ZUTPHEN KOATEN CANAL
• DEVENTER IEER
• ARNHEM 1945 DELFZIJL POCKET
• GRONINGEN BAD ZWISCHENAHN
• FRIESOYTHE OLDENBURG

(bottom plaque/plaque en bas)
1914-1918   1939-1945   1950-1953

PEACEKEEPING
SERVICE DE LA PAIX

KNOW ALL YE WHO PASS BY
THAT FOR YOUR TOMORROW
WE GAVE OUR TODAY

(bottom/bas)
1914