Manitoba

Pilot Officer Wilfred Lawrence Warner enlisted with the Royal Air Force in 1935. He died during a demonstration exercise near Methwold, England on 27 April 1937. Warner is buried in Elmwood Cemetery in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

A plaque in the Yale Avenue West Park was unveiled by Warner’s parents in 1948. Warner played in this area during his childhood.

Lance Corporal Roger Joseph “Sonny” Firman enlisted in 1940 and served with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles. He took part in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, was taken a prisoner of war and executed near Caen as an unarmed prisoner of war on 8 June 1944 by the 12^th SS Hitler Youth Division. He was 21 years old at the time of his death.

To commemorate the 63^rd anniversary of Firman’s death, a plaque was unveiled at the Transcona Fire Hall Station No. 25 by his comrade and friend Paul Martin on 8 June 2007. The location of the fire hall was once Firman’s childhood home in Transcona.

In 1947, Victor Valde Memorial Park was named in honour of Pilot Officer Victor Lewis Valde. He enlisted and served as an air gunner with the Royal Canadian Air Force and was killed in action on 2 November 1944 at 20 years of age. Valde was the only son of Lewis and Emma Valde and attended Transcona Memorial United Church prior to enlistment.

Valde Avenue and Valde Lake are also named in honour of Pilot Officer Valde.

Magas Memorial Park was named in honour of the four Magas brothers that served in the Second World War. Flying Officer Fred Magas enlisted in December 1940 and served with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Following training in Canada, Magas served overseas and was tasked with hunting U-boats in the Atlantic. He was honourably discharged in October 1945. For his service, he was awarded the 1939-1945 Star with clasp, Atlantic Star, Defence Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with clasp, and War Medal 1939-1945. Following the war, Magas worked at the CN Transcona Shops.

Rifleman Harry Magas served overseas as a rifleman with the Royal Regina Rifles. He was killed in action on 6 July 1944 at 21 years of age. Magas Lake in Manitoba was also named in commemoration of Rifleman Harry Magas in 1972.

Corporal John Magas enlisted in 1940 and served with the Lorne Scots of the Canadian Army. He participated in the Normandy landings in 1944 and was discharged from the military in 1945. 

Little is known regarding Tony Magas’ active military service during the Second World War. He enlisted after 1943, served with the Royal Canadian Navy and was discharged in 1945.

On 7 March 2016, Billy McCann Memorial Park was named in honour of Flight Sergeant William Alexander McCann. He enlisted in the Second World War in January of 1941. Previous to joining the Air Force, he was a member of the Cameron cadets with whom he gained Dominion honours in marksmanship. Following enlistment, he was trained as an Air Gunner in Canada and was sent overseas in October of 1941. His plane, a Wellington Bomber, was shot down during a bombing raid over Bremen and he was killed in action on June 28, 1942.

It was on these very grounds that Billy spent may of his childhood days while attending Central School. He was regarded as an outstanding individual in collegiate athletic events, a member of the Transcona Rugby Club and a member of the Young People's Association of Knox United Church. He was the son of Mr. Alexander and Mrs. Florence McCann of 181 Oxford Street, Transcona, Manitoba.

Valde Avenue was named in honour of Pilot Officer Victor Lewis Valde. He enlisted and served as an air gunner with the Royal Canadian Air Force and was killed in action on 2 November 1944 at 20 years of age. Valde was the only son of Lewis and Emma Valde and attended Transcona Memorial United Church prior to enlistment.

Victor Valde Memorial Park and Valde Lake are also named in honour of Pilot Officer Valde.

Widlake Street was named in honour of Trooper Tom Huntington Widlake. He enlisted and served overseas with C Squadron, 11^th Armoured Regiment (Ontario Regiment), RCAC and was killed in action in Italy on 24 June 1944 at 26 years of age.

Widlake Lake in Manitoba was also named in commemoration of Trooper Tom Huntington Widlake in 1972. 

Robson Street was named in honour of Flight Lieutenant Wishart William “Wish” Robson. He enlisted with the Royal Canadian Air Force in June of 1941, was trained through the British Commonwealth Air Training Program and received his commission in 1942. For his service, Robson was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in June of 1944. Flight Lieutenant Wishart William “Wish” Robson was killed in an airplane accident in Northern Manitoba on 21 August 1949 at 33 years of age.

Atwood Street was named in honour of Flight Sergeant Bertram Atwood in 1963. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in June 1941 and trained through the British Commonwealth Air Training Program at Edmonton, Alberta; Prince Albert and Yorkton, Saskatchewan. Atwood received his wings in February 1942 and went overseas two weeks later in March 1942. Between March and November 1942, he made at least 14 operational flights over Germany.

Atwood was killed in action during air operations over Germany on 13 January 1943 at 27 years of age. 

Ravenhurst Street is named partly in honour of Sergeant Leslie E. Hurst. He enlisted and served overseas with the Canadian Army. Hurst was killed in action during the Dieppe Raid on 19 August 1942 at 27 years of age. Hurst Lake in Manitoba was named in commemoration of Sergeant Leslie E. Hurst in 1963.

The Transcona Museum currently does not have information on “Raven” who the street is also named in commemoration of.