Manitoba memorial lakes

Lake naming program in Manitoba, Canada From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In 1945 the Geographical Names Board of Canada began a program to name previously unofficially named features after casualties from all three branches of the Canadian Armed Forces. With around 100,000 lakes, most without names, Manitoba has been an enthusiastic adopter of the program. In 1995 the project to commemorate the 4,000 Manitoba casualties from the Second World War by naming lakes, islands and bays after them was completed.

The province has had a full-time toponymist since 1971 to manage the naming of its geography. Locations are researched to ensure that names with long-standing local use take precedence and only then given a commemorative name randomly. Since 1995 the province has been commemorating casualties from World War I, the Korean War, Afghanistan and U.N. peacekeeping missions.

Early names

In July 1947, the province of Manitoba, Canada, named 25 lakes after 26 men who lost their lives on active service in the Second World War.

These were:[1]

More information Lake, Named after ...
LakeNamed afterRankFromRegiment / Unit / BranchMedalReferences
Mackie LakeAlexander Morton MackieFlying officerWinnipegRoyal Canadian Air Force,No. 424 Squadron RCAFDistinguished Flying Cross[2][3]
McMillan LakeLawrence McMillanFlight lieutenantMiamiRoyal Canadian Air Force,No. 400 Squadron RCAFDistinguished Flying Cross[4][5]
Vandekerckhove LakeGeorge Pierre Cornelius VandekerckhovePilot officerStony MountainRoyal Canadian Air Force,No. 427 Squadron RCAFDistinguished Flying Cross[6][7]
Arbour LakeAbram ArbourWarrant officerWinnipegQueen's Own Cameron Highlanders, Royal Canadian Infantry CorpsMilitary Cross[8][9]
Tenklei LakeEdward S. TenkleiWarrant officerCarmanRegina Rifle Regiment, Royal Canadian Infantry CorpsMilitary Medal[10][11]
Suttie LakeJames Murray SuttieCaptainCarberryRoyal Canadian Infantry Corps, Royal Welsh FusiliersMilitary Cross[12][13]
Craig LakeJames CraigFlying officerWinnipegRoyal Canadian Air Force,No. 97 Squadron RAFDistinguished Flying Cross[14][15]
Chepil LakeMikita (Mack) ChepilWarrant officerEdwinRoyal Canadian Air Force,No. 428 Squadron RCAFDistinguished Flying Medal[16][17]
Dunphy LakeRoderick James DunphyFlight lieutenantWinnipegRoyal Canadian Air Force,No. 426 Squadron RCAFDistinguished Flying Cross[18][19]
Wilmot LakeBrian Edmund WilmotSquadron leaderWinnipegRoyal Canadian Air Force,No. 415 Squadron RCAFDistinguished Flying Cross and bar[20][21]
Counsell LakeRonald Rainey CounsellMajorWinnipegQueen's Own Cameron Highlanders, Royal Canadian Infantry CorpsMilitary Cross[22][23]
Story LakeRupert Rhoades StoryLance corporalDauphinSeaforth Highlanders of CanadaMilitary Medal[24][25]
Two Tod Lake[A]Richard Douglas TodWarrant officerSt. VitalRoyal Canadian Air Force, No. 75 Squadron RNZAF[26][27]
Robert Ernest TodWarrant officerSt. VitalRoyal Canadian Air Force, No. 75 Squadron RNZAFDistinguished Flying Medal[28][29]
Eager LakeWilliam Hedley EagerFlying officerNorwoodRoyal Canadian Air ForceDistinguished Flying Cross[30][31]
McGavock LakeJohn Joseph McGavockFlying officerWinnipegRoyal Canadian Air ForceDistinguished Flying Cross[32][33]
Hunter LakeJack James HunterPrivateNeepawaQueen's Own Cameron Highlanders, Royal Canadian Infantry CorpsMilitary Medal[34][35]
Finch LakeGeorge Herbert FinchSquadron leaderBirtleRoyal Canadian Air ForceDistinguished Flying Cross[36][37]
Matheson LakeDonald John MathesonLieutenantRoyal Canadian Artillery, 5 Anti-tank RegimentMilitary Cross[38][39]
Kadeniuk LakeWalter KadeniukPrivateWinnipegSeaforth Highlanders of CanadaMilitary Medal[40][41]
Dobbyn LakeJoseph Lloyd DobbynFlying officerMelitaRoyal Canadian Air Force, No. 50 Squadron RAFDistinguished Flying Cross[42][43]
Watt LakeRobert Huycke WattFlying officerWinnipegRoyal Canadian Air ForceDistinguished Flying Cross[44][45]
Runner LakeJoseph Moore RunnerPilot officerTreherneRoyal Canadian Air Force, No. 115 Squadron RCAFDistinguished Flying Medal[46][47]
McCallum LakeDouglas Harvey McCallumMajorCarberryRoyal Canadian Engineers, 31sr Field CompanyDistinguished Service Order[48][49]
Reid LakeEdward James ReidCaptainWinnipegQueen's Own Cameron Highlanders, Royal Canadian Infantry CorpsMilitary Cross[50][51]
Van Hende LakeMarcel Octave Van HendeSergeantHastings and Prince Edward Regiment, Royal Canadian Infantry CorpsDistinguished Conduct Medal[52]
Close

There are more than 4,200 lakes, islands, bays and other geographical features named after Manitoba's war dead.

Footnotes

  1. [A]
    named for twin brothers

Notes

References

External links

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