Kinross Road

Edmonton, Alberta
Type
Other

Kinross Road was dedicated to Private Cecil John Kinross of the 49th Battalion by the Canada Lands Company on June 23, 2004, as part of their redevelopment of Edmonton’s former Canadian Forces Base (Griesbach Barracks).

Cecil John Kinross was born in Uxbridge, England on 17 February 1895, and, at the age of 16, came with his family to Alberta to farm. During the First World War he served with the 49th Infantry Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force. Before Kinross received the Victoria Cross he had been wounded, but was able to return to his unit within a month.

On 30 October 1917 near Passchendaele in Belgium, Kinross’s company came under intense German artillery and machine gun fire. Carefully surveying the situation, he took off all of his equipment save for his rifle and a bandolier of ammunition, and set out alone over open ground in daylight. Kinross then charged the machine gun, killed the crew of six, and destroyed the gun. Inspired by his action, his company advanced some 300 meters and established itself in an important new position. For his exemplary conduct, Kinross was awarded the Victoria Cross.

Kinross was seriously wounded and did not return to front-line duties. He died in Lougheed, Alberta on 21 June 1957. Mount Kinross, in the Rocky Mountains near Jasper, Alberta, was named in his honour.

Inscription

KINROSS RD

[plaque]
THE VILLAGE AT
GRIESBACH

CECIL JOHN KINROSS, VC
Of the multifarious characters the Forty-Ninth boasted, " wrote a onetime officer of the
49th Battalion, a forerunner of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment. " one of the strangest if not the
kingpin of them all was 'Hoodoo' Kinross." Cecil John Kinross (1896-1957), the English born
son of Scottish parents, settled at Lougheed, Alberta, with his parents in 1912. He enlisted in
1915 and fought in the First World War. Private Kinross gloried in front line service, but he
loathed parade, in which he usually presented a "disgraceful" appearance. Officers
considered him incorrigible. In October 1917, Kinross fought at the Battle of Passchendaele
in Belgium. On October 30, Kinross's company came under heavy fire, and severe enemy
machine-gun fire impeded further advance. After making a careful survey of the situation,
Kinross cast off all of his equipment except his rifle and bandolier and advanced alone over
open ground in broad daylight. He charged the enemy machine-gun, killing the crew of six
and seized and destroyed the gun. Kinross's superb example and courage enabled a highly
important position to be established and earned him the Victoria Cross. Edmontonians
packed the Pantages Theatre to cheer Kinross on his return. He spent the rest of his life
in Lougheed, where the local branch of the Royal Canadian Legion is named for him. Mount
Kinross in Jasper National Park was named in his honour in 1951.

CECIL HOHN KINROSS, VC
"Le quarante-neuvième a compté dans ses rangs une multiplicité de personnages plus ou
moins étranges et `Hoodop`Kinross pourrait bien se trouver tout en haut de la liste`, s`il
faut en croire les écrits d`un ancien officier du 49e bataillon, précurseur du Loyal Edmonton
Régiment. Cecil John Kinross (1896-1957), né en Angleterre d`un couple d`Écossais, s`est
établi à Lougheed (Alberta) avec ses parents en 1912. Il s`est enrôlé en 1915 et a combattu
pendant la Première Guerre mondiale. Cecil Kinross était remarquable au front, mais il
détestait les défilés, à l`occasion desquels son maintien était souvent "disgracieux", Les
officiers le considéraient incorrigible. En octobre 1917, il a pros part à la bataille de
Passchendaele, en Belgique. Le 30, sa compagnie s'est retrouvée sous un tir nourri alors
qu`une mitrailleuse ennemie bloquait toute avancée. Après avoir étudié attentivement la
situation, Cecil Kinross s`est débarrassé de tout son équipement, à l`exception de sa
carabine et de sa cartouchière en bandoulière, puis il s`est avancé, seul, en terrain
découvert et en plein jour. Sa charge a causé la mort des six membres de l`équipe de la
mitrailleuse et la destruction de la pièce en question. Le superbe exemple de Cecil Kinsross
et son courage ont permis d`occuper une position fort importante et lui ont valu la Croix de Victoria.
Les Edmontoniens ont rempli à capacité le Pantages Theatre pour acclamer le soldat à son retour.
Il a passé le reste de sa vie à Lougheed, où la section locale de la Légion royale canadienne a été nommée en son honneur, tout comme l`a été le mont Kinross dans le parc national Jasper en 1951.

Canada Lands Company Limited
Société immobilière du Canada limitée

Location
Kinross Road

Kinross Road
Edmonton
Alberta
GPS Coordinates
Lat. 53.6049777
Long. -113.4973439

Kinross Road street sign

1 of 2 images

plaque

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