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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Benjamin Walter Singleton

In memory of:

Lance Corporal Benjamin Walter Singleton

January 22, 1943
Hong Kong

Military Service


Service Number:

H/6256

Age:

24

Force:

Army

Unit:

Winnipeg Grenadiers, R.C.I.C.

Citation(s):

1939-1945 Star, Pacific Star, War Medal 1939-1945, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp.

Additional Information


Born:

May 7, 1918
Neepawa, Manitoba

Enlistment:

September 12, 1939
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Son of Alfred Sinclair Singleton and Agnes May McConnell of Eden, Manitoba.

Brother of Gunner Alfred Leslie Singleton, regimental number H-12098, of the 71st Field Battery, 8th Army Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery. He survived the war. He served in Manitoba, Jamaica with Y Force and Hong Kong with C Force. He had 1,229 days of service, including 452 overseas.

To commemorate his sacrifice, the Manitoba government named Singleton Lake located east of Pike Lake in his honor in 1972.

Commemorated on Page 213 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information


Cemetery:

SAI WAN WAR CEMETERY
Victoria, Hong Kong

Grave Reference:

VIII. E. 26.

Location:

SAI WAN WAR CEMETERY is in the north-east of the island of Hong Kong, in the Chai Wan area, about 11 kilometres from the centre of Victoria, the capital of Hong Kong. At the entrance to the cemetery on Cape Collinson Road stands the memorial to those who died in Hong Kong and have no known grave. From it, the cemetery slopes down towards the sea and originally, the view towards the main land was magnificent. The easiest way to reach the cemetery is by the mass transit railway (MTR) Hong Kong line to Chai Wan Terminus. From the Terminus one can either walk up to the cemetery following Chai Wan Road to the roundabout, turning west into Wan Tsui Road, then south east up Lin Shing Road which leads to Cape Collinson Road. The CWGC road direction sign is fixed to a wall facing down Lin Shing Road. The Cape Collinson area has many cemeteries. Walking up this narrow one way traffic road, one will pass the Catholic Cemetery situated on the hillside to the left of the road, and the Hong Kong Military Cemetery on the right. SAI WAN WAR CEMETERY is about half way up Cape Collinson Road and faces the Muslim and Buddhist cemeteries. One can also get a taxi from Chai Wan Terminus and follow the same route. Alternatively one can board a public light bus, Route No. 16M, which runs from Chai Wan MTR Terminus to Stanley where the CWGC has another cemetery, the Stanley Military Cemetery. En route to Stanley the minibus will pass Sai Wan War Cemetery, stopping only on request.

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

Send us your images

  • Photo of Benjamin Singleton– In memory of the men and women memorialized on the pages of the Winnipeg Evening Tribune. Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me
  • Photo of BENJAMIN WALTER SINGLETON– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of Benjamin Singleton– Cecil Pittman travelled with the Royal Winnipeg Riffles Association
when they participated in the 40th Anniversary of the D day
tour to the Normandy beaches (Juno Beach) in 1984, the Royal
Winnipeg Riffles "pilgrimage" tour in 1989, the year the memorial
was unveiled in the little village of Audrieu and the Royal Winnipeg
Riffles 50th Anniversary tour in 1994. He also attended the unveiling
ceremonies of the Juno Beach Memorial located in Normandy,
France in June of 2003.

Mr. Pittman has researched information through the National
Archives, military histories, former veterans and from any other
materials he can locate. In 2002, he completed 104 stories for the
Manitoba Geographical Names Program (Lakes, Rivers, Islands,
etc are named after Manitoba's world War II and the Korean
Conflict casualties) Several soldier's photo from his collection
were included with these stories in the Map Branch's publication
"A Place of Honour".

(Notes taken from the Cecil Pittman's photo collection)
  • Biography

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To learn more please visit our help page. If you have questions or comments regarding the information contained in this registry, email or call us. For inquiries regarding the names and information found in the RCMP Honour Roll, please email the RCMP.

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