Premier Greg Selinger (right) was joined by Battle of Hong Kong veteran George Peterson at the unveiling of a picture of the new commemorative plaza being built by the city and province to honour seven soldiers from Arden Avenue (the Arden 7) who all fought and were captured at the Battle of Hong Kong in 1941. Mr. Peterson is the last surviving member of the Arden

 

August 16, 2013

PROVINCE, CITY HONOUR LOCAL HONG KONG VETERANS WITH COMMEMORATIVE PLAZA

Seven young men from Arden Avenue in Winnipeg, who volunteered, fought and were captured during the Battle of Hong Kong in 1941, will be honoured with a new park plaza dedicated to their memory, Premier Greg Selinger and Mayor Sam Katz announced today.
“We are proud to honour the seven young men who as friends, neighbours and comrades joined our armed forces to battle, under the most horrific conditions, for the freedom that we now enjoy,” said Selinger.  “The peace and tranquility of this new interpretive plaza will be an appropriate place to reflect and remind all those who visit of the courage and dedication of these men.  We will remember them.”
“The story of the Arden Seven is one that all Winnipeggers should know,” said Katz.  “The Arden Seven Interpretive Plaza will honour these seven friends and brothers who fought so bravely and endured terrible conditions during their service in Hong Kong, and will serve as a permanent reminder of their courage and service.”
The men served in the Winnipeg Grenadiers during the Second World War and included Fred Abrahams (also known as Fred Harting), Bill Lancaster, twin brothers George and Morris Peterson, and brothers Alfred, Edward and Harry Shayler.  All seven survived the Battle of Hong Kong.
After 17 days of intense fighting, 290 Canadians were killed and another 493 wounded during the battle.  Those who survived were taken prisoner and endured nearly four years of captivity in Japanese prisoner-of-war and work camps.
Funding from the Province of Manitoba and City of Winnipeg through the Building Communities Initiative (BCI) II will provide $75,000 for the interpretative plaza to be located in Jules Mager Park, at the corner of St. Michael Road and River Road in St. Vital.  It will feature seven chairs symbolizing the seven friends who served together, landscaped berms and retaining walls, pathways and commemorative plaques in both official languages telling their story.
This project is one of 38 BCI II, Phase Two projects announced in March.  A total of $8,848,500 in community improvements throughout Winnipeg has been committed so far.  Additional projects will be approved in the coming months for a total of $10 million over the next two years.
The BCI II is a multi-year, cost-shared capital initiative developed jointly by the Manitoba government and the City of Winnipeg to support community revitalization through improvements to local community infrastructure in targeted older neighbourhoods and contribute to the vitality, safety and health of communities throughout the city.
Phase One of BCI II provided a total of $10 million between 2010 and 2013.  Of the 37 approved projects under the first phase, 31 have been completed with the remaining six to be completed in the 2013 construction season.  Projects included improving athletic fields, playgrounds and structures, splash pads, lighting, seating, pathways in parks, upgrades and expansion of community centres.  Projects are selected in consultation with key stakeholders and community groups.

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Premier Greg Selinger and Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation, Steve Ashton (centre) are joined representatives of the Canadian Forces and Royal Canadian Legion as Manitoba's Highway of Heroes is unveiled between Winnipeg and Brandon, to permanently honour Canada's military and veterans

Justice Minister Andrew Swan places a candle on the grave of his grandfather James Swan, who served in the Second World War, at the Diamond Jubilee Candlelight Service of Remembrance at Brookside Cemetery on Sunday, June 3. The service was held to honour Canada's service men and women.

Upcoming Event - Nov. 7 Men and women in Uniform Dinner and Dance

OUR MEN AND WOMEN in UNIFORM

The MILITARY HERITAGE OF MANITOBA Inc.

AN EVENING OF HONOUR FOR MANITOBA’S MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM

November 3, 2011

WINNIPEG, Manitoba: More than a thousand people are expected to be in attendance for a Dinner and Dance to honour Manitoba’s Men and Women in Uniform this coming Monday November 7^th at Winnipeg’s Victoria Inn.

The dinner is the first of a series of events to be staged by a relatively new organization, the Manitoba Salutes program, which has been formed by Military Heritage of Manitoba Incorporated to publicly recognize and celebrate the service and sacrifice of our military and police personnel, be it on overseas missions or here at home in times of flood, fires, ice storms or search and rescue missions.

About 800 Army, Navy, Air Force, RCMP and Winnipeg Police Service members will be joined for the dinner by Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger, Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz, Brandon Mayor Shari Dexter-Hurst and high ranking officers from the Canadian and United States Military, the RCMP the Winnipeg Police Service and community and business leaders.

 Manitoba has deployed some 1000 of our soldiers to Afghanistan over the past years and although Canada's combat role in Afghanistan has officially come to an end, some 900 service personnel, many of them from Manitoba based units, still remain in that country to train the Afghan Military and Police forces.

There are thirty five military and security units within the province of Manitoba. Some 100,000 Manitobans have served, or are serving in the regular and reserve components of the Navy, Army, Air Force, the RCMP and the Police Forces.

Military Heritage of Manitoba Inc. is led by an Executive Committee consisting of Ray McFeetors, (Great West Life) as Chairman, Jim Burns, (Power Corporation) and Andrew Paterson  (Paterson Global Foods) as Vice Chairmen, Bob Vandewater  (CIBC/Wood Gundy) Treasurer and Gary Solar,  (Military Envoy Office) Secretary. All have served, or are serving as Honorary Colonels for our Manitoba Military Units.

Other Military, Police, business and community leaders that will attend the dinner include: Major General Alain Parent, Commander, 1 Canadian Air Division; Brigadier-General Paul Bury, LFWA Deputy Commander Land Force Western Area; Colonel Blaise Frawley, Commander 17 Wing Winnipeg; Colonel Nic Stanton, Commander 38 Combat Brigade Group; Lieutenant Colonel  Richard Goodyear, Commander Canadian Forces Base Shilo; Brigadier General  Scott D. Legwold, United States National Guard Wisconsin; Lieutenant General  Allan MacKenzie, Former Commander Royal Canadian Air Force;  Major General Dennis Tabbernor, Former Chief of Reserves and Cadets; The Honourable Steven Fletcher, Federal Minister of State (Transport); Manitoba Senator Don Plett; Assistant Commissioner Bill Robinson, Commanding Officer D Division, Royal Canadian Mounted Police; and Chief Keith McCaskill, Winnipeg Police Service.

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NOTE TO EDITORS: -

Attached is the timings for the sequence of events for the dinner.

The evening begins with a reception at 6 P.M.

 

You will note the presentations and greetings do not begin until after dinner at 9 P.M.

For those that cannot assign assets to this event for that period of time we have arranged for all the notables to meet prior to 6 P.M. in the hotel’s Carlton Room which is located immediately to the right as you enter the hotel lobby. Guides will be on hand to direct.

Reporters and photographers will be able to conduct interviews with any of the principals in that room.

They will then be able to observe and photograph the group being Piped down the corridor to the Main Room.

Prior to the start of the program media representatives will be free to circulate throughout the room for interviews and B-Roll.

Those that wish to remain for the entire event are welcome.

Table space has been allocated for media representatives.

For further information please contact:

Brian Koshul, (Capt Ret’d) Media Relations Officer, Manitoba Salutes

Tel: 204-770-3574

Email: briankoshul@shaw.ca;