Ontario

This street is named in memory of Colonel C.D. Simpson, former Base Commander at Canadian Forces Base London.

The memorial consists of the street itself and the accompanying street sign, as well as a plaque that was placed on the north-east corner of "A" Block or Wolseley Hall.

Crowe Avenue is named in honour of Lieutenant-Colonel Ralph Marston Crowe who commanded the Royal Canadian Regiment during the landing in Sicily and its initial push inland.

Ralph Marston Crowe was born in Guelph in 1911. He grew up in a military family, his father a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Canadian Army, and his three brothers also members of the military. Ralph attended the Royal Military College in Kingston, graduating in 1931. He served with the British Army in India from 1936 to 1938 as part of an officer exchange program, and was promoted to captain shortly afterwards.

When the Second World War broke out in September 1939, Crowe was sent overseas to join the staff of the Canadian Military Headquarters in England. Promoted to major in 1940 and Lieutenant-Colonel in March 1943, he was appointed Commanding Officer of the Royal Canadian Regiment.

Crowe landed with his Regiment at Pachino on 10 July 1943 as part of OPERATION HUSKY. After taking their initial objective, Crowe led the Regiment further inland toward Nissoria where they encountered mined roads and crack German troops who took full advantage of the mountainous terrain and inflicted heavy casualties on the Canadians.

A week after landing in Sicily, the Canadians pushed the Germans out of several strategic hilltop towns and villages. But the enemy dug in to make a determined stand at the town of Agira. The struggle for Agira would be the Canadians' toughest fight in the Sicilian Campaign.

On July 24, Crowe led his men along a railway line. They were making good headway, until they came under heavy fire from German positions on the mountain slopes. In the confusion of battle, the RCR's advance unit became separated from the main body and contact with it was lost.

Realizing that those men could be wiped out or captured, Crowe decided to personally lead a rescue party. Crowe's column had advanced about 100m toward the crest of a hill when German machine guns opened up from two sides, catching the Canadians in a crossfire. Crowe was at the head of the column and was cut down in a hail of bullets. Lieutenant-Colonel Ralph Marston Crowe was buried at the Agira Canadian War Cemetery.

George Joseph Maunsell was born on 25 August 1836 near Rathkeale, 30 km SW of Limerick, Republic of Ireland. He was educated at the Royal Military College, in England and in May 1855 joined the 15th Foot as an Ensign. His Regiment sailed for New Brunswick (NB) in 1862 and Maunsell joined them as a Captain two years later.

He was seconded to the American Union Army in spring 1865, but returned to New Brunswick a few months later and was promoted to Lieutenant-colonel in November. In the spring of 1866, NB braced itself for the Fenian Raids and Maunsell helped organize the defences. He remained in Canada after Confederation and when the new national militia system was created in January 1869, he was named the deputy adjutant general of NB, effectively becoming the commander of the NB militia. For the next few years he devoted himself to building well-trained and efficient militia units.

In 1881, he was transferred to Ottawa, but returned to NB a few years later, when the government established an Infantry School Corps company in Fredericton as the basis for a permanent military force in Canada. In 1893, the Infantry School Corps was renamed the Royal Regiment of Canadian Infantry (which eventually became the Royal Canadian Regiment).

In 1896, Maunsell was appointed its Commanding Officer, taking command of the companies in Fredericton, St. Jean, Toronto and London. The following two years saw him create a uniform regimental system for these geographically distant and disparate companies. In 1898, he relinquished command of the Regiment and shortly afterwards retired from the military. He died in England where he had returned after his retirement.

This overpass is named in honour of F/Lt Charles Fox, DFC and Bar, CD.

Charles Fox was born in February 1920 in Guelph ON. He attended Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute and joined the military soon after the start of the Second World War. He completed pilot training in 1941, graduating near the top of his class. His training success and his natural abilities led him to being assigned as a flight instructor in Dunnville ON from October 1941 to March 1943 after which he was transferred to an operational training school at Bagotville QC to undertake combat training.

In August 1943, he was transferred to Europe and trained on Spitfires. In January 1944, Charley Fox was assigned to 412 Squadron, RCAF and over the next few months, undertook numerous escort, armed recce and dive-bombing sorties. On D-Day alone, he flew three missions. On 18 June, 412 Squadron began flying operations from an airstrip at Beny-sur-Mer in Normandy and on 17 July 1944, Fox completed a mission that would garner world-wide attention. On this occasion, he undertook an armed reconnaissance mission and strafed an unknown black staff car; he later learned that one of the passengers was German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, who was seriously injured in the attack. Two other pilots (RAF and RAAF) also claimed responsibility but a 2004 study concluded that Fox had most likely delivered the damaging blow. He flew numerous missions during the 1944 summer offensive and was awarded the DFC for his "exceptional courage and skill in pressing home his attacks against the enemy".

Fox concluded his operational tour in January 1945 having flown 224 operational sorties and in February he was awarded a Bar to his DFC. He returned to Canada in August and after his wartime experience, Fox continued to serve with 420 Squadron (Reserve), flying Harvards, Mustangs and the early jet fighters. He later transferred to fighter controller duties, finally completing his service in May 1961. Fox was appointed Honorary Colonel of 412 Squadron in April 2004. He died in a car accident near Tillsonburg, Ontario, on 18 October 2008.

This scroll was placed at St. Paul's Cathedral to honour the members of the congregation who served in the Second World War

This memorial is dedicated to the members of St Paul's Cathedral parish who gave their lives during the First and Second World Wars and all those who served.

This memorial is dedicated to the memory of Lieutenant Lionel Hyman Eliot, who was killed during the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

Lionel Hyman Eliot was born on 16 September 1887 in London, Ontario. After completing his education, he obtained a position with the Bank of Montreal. He enlisted in June 1915 with the 58th Battalion, though records show he was on the 91st Canadian Highlanders quota. His service attestation papers also indicate that he had previous service with the 9th Mississauga Horse. He remained with the 58th Battalion for several months before being "stricken off strength" to take his commission as a Lieutenant with the 75th Battalion.

He sailed with the 75th Battalion in spring 1916, arriving in England on 09 April. By August, the 75th was in the trenches of Belgium and within the month, was at the Somme, fighting with great distinction in the battles at Regina trench and Desire trench. In December 1916, the Battalion was transferred to Vimy where it awaited the upcoming spring battle for the Ridge. The months leading to the battle were not without its dangers; on 01 March 1917, a large phosgene gas raid took place in which the 75th ‘s Commanding Officer was killed.

On the morning of 9th April 1917, the attack for Vimy Ridge commenced. Lt Lionel Eliot was killed within the early actions as he lead his platoon to their objective. He is buried at Canadian Cemetery No. 2 Neuville-St. Vast.

This building is named in honour of Captain Proctor Clifford Neil, MC. 

Proctor Clifford Neil was born in August 1914 at Cobalt ON. As a young boy, his family moved to North Bay where he completed his schooling. A gifted pupil, he also excelled in athletics. He joined the military soon after the declaration of the Second World War and was assigned to the Royal Canadian Electrical Mechanical Engineers (RCEME). He holds the distinction of being a member of the first RCEME crew to land in Normandy on D-Day. He would go on and serve throughout the North-West European campaign where his courage under fire became commonplace. During a particularly difficult advance through muddy fields, Capt Neil and his crew recovered 51 tanks that had become mired in a heavily mined area subjected to enemy artillery, machinegun and sniper fire. For his leadership demonstrated during this perilous instance and his courageous actions throughout the campaign, he was awarded the Military Cross in February 1945.

After the war, he returned to school and obtained a degree in metallurgical engineering from McGill University in Montreal. He relocated to Niagara Falls where he worked in industry for many years. After his first retirement, he continued on with consulting work for another 10 years. Proctor Clifford Neil died in August 1991 at the age of 76.

This stained glass window is dedicated to the memory of Private John Andrew Donegan, one of the first Canadian soldiers to be killed in the South African War. 

John Andrew Donegan was born on 17 December 1878 at Perth ON, west of Ottawa. His father was an “engine driver” on the Perth and Smith Falls railway before being promoted to Inspector of Locomotives in the Canadian Pacific Railway shops at London ON. John Donegan was educated at Perth and, after his family had moved to London, at St. Peter’s School and the Collegiate Institute in London. On completing his education, he worked at a boot and shoe store before working at the CPR freight office in Chatham ON. Donegan was a member of the 26^th Middlesex Light Infantry Active Militia when he volunteered for the Boer War. He sailed for South Africa on 30 October 1899 with B Company of the Royal Canadian Regiment, arriving in Cape Town on 20 Nov.

The British had suffered a number of surprising set-backs in the 1899 opening battles of the Boer War but with the arrival of reinforcements, they put in place a new strategy. In February 1900, they sent troops marching across the plains towards the Boer capitals rather than use the vulnerable railway lines. On 17 February, British forces reached the banks of the Modder River at Paardeberg Drift where a 5000 strong Boer commando awaited them. On the morning of 18 February, the RCR were ordered across the river and once the crossing completed, were ordered to advance down Gun Hill. They had barely started their advance when they came under murderous fire from the dug-in Boers. It is during this action that Private John Andrew Donegan was killed. He is buried at the Vendusie Drift Garden of Remembrance, Paardeberg, South Africa.

This plaque is dedicated to the memory of Major Victor John Kent. 

Victor John Kent was born on 21 January 1883 in London Ontario. Following his studies, he entered the Royal Military College in Kingston and graduated in 1902 with a degree in civil engineering. He worked in this field for a number of years before enlisting on 6 March 1916 in Guelph where he was appointed Officer Commanding 56^th Battery. The latter unit recruited primarily from the Ontario Agricultural College and was often called the OAC Battery.

The 56^th Battery embarked for England on 13 September 1916, arriving 9 days later. Stationed at Witley Camp, near Aldershot, on 22 January 1917 the battery was absorbed into the 55^th Battery and 66^th Battery as the Canadian field artillery batteries were reorganized from 4 guns to 6 guns each. As a result, Major Victor Kent became the Officer Commanding 55^th Battery. After months of training, 55^th Battery arrived in France in August 1917 where it was attached to 13 Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery, part of the 5^th Division artillery.

On 4 March 1918, Major Victor John Kent was hit by shrapnel while directing his men to take cover during an artillery barrage. He is buried at Aix-Noulette Communal Cemetery Extension, west of Lens, France.