Québec

This road is named in honour of Air Marshal William Avery “Billy” Bishop, VC, CB, DSO & Bar, MC, DFC, ED.

William Avery Bishop was born in Owen Sound, Ontario on 8 February 1894. During the outbreak of the Great War, he was a cadet at the Royal Military College, in Kingston. He enrolled in the 9th Mississauga Horse, Canadian Expedition Force, on 30 September 1914, and he later transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. Bishop, who already had the Distinguished Service Order and Military Cross, became the first Canadian Airman to be awarded the Victoria Cross for his single-handed early morning attack on an enemy airfield near Cambrai, France. On 2 June 1917, he found seven aircraft on the ground; he attacked and destroyed three, and was later credited with the destruction of the remaining four aircraft. Bishop continued air operations until August 1917 and returned to the front in June 1918. He emerged as the British Empire’s second highest scoring ace, with 72 official victories.

In the Second World War Bishop was an Air Marshal in the Royal Canadian Air Force and assisted in recruiting. He later died in Palm Beach, United States, on 11 September 1956.

This road is named in honour of Lieutenant-Colonel William Hew Clark-Kennedy, VC, CMG, DSO.

William Hew Clark-Kennedy was born in Dunskay, Scotland on 3 March 1880. After service with the British Army in the South African War, he came to Canada in 1902.

Clark-Kennedy joined the Royal Highlanders of Canada in 1914, and during the First World War rose to command the 24th Infantry Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force. Lieutenant-Colonel Clarke-Kennedy was four times mentioned in dispatches, received the Distinguished Service Order and bar, was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael & St George, and was awarded the Croix de Guerre by France.

Lieutenant-Colonel Clark-Kennedy received the Victoria Cross for his conduct in the Battle of Arras on 27 and 28 August 1918. Over the course of those two days, his battalion suffered numerous casualties near Wancourt in France as it strove to advance through heavy artillery and machine gun fire. In the face of such strong enemy resistance, Clark-Kennedy led his men forward to eliminate machine gun positions preventing the progress of the offensive.

This enabled the entire brigade to reach the Fresnes-Rouvray line. Though wounded, Lieutenant-Colonel Clark-Kennedy remained in command of his battalion until its objective was consolidated.

Clark-Kennedy died in Montreal, Quebec on 25 October 1961.

This road is named in honour of Major-General J.P.E. Bernatchez, CBE, CMM, DSO, CD.

Major-General Joseph Paul Émile Bernatchez was born in Montmagny, Quebec in March 1911. He enlisted at the Royal Military College in Kingston in August 1929, graduating with distinction in June 1934. He joined the Royal 22e Régiment and in April 1935, he left for the UK to round out his military knowledge. He returned to Canada in February 1937. He was promoted to Captain at the beginning of the Second World War and went overseas as the officer commanding “B” Company, Royal 22e Régiment. He was soon promoted to Major and in the fall of 1941, he took command of the unit at the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. In July 1943, he commanded his battalion during the Pachino peninsula landings in Sicily. In March 1944, he was appointed Commander of the 3^rd Infantry Brigade. He was decorated with the Distinguished Service Order in Italy and was also mentioned in Despatches. In March 1945, he arrived in Holland with the other Canadian troops from the Italian front. He remained there until the end of hostilities. In 1951, he became the Commanding Officer of the Canadian military mission in the Middle East and was later promoted to Major-General and Commander of Quebec Command. Major-General Bernatchez died on November 13, 1983.

This traffic circle is named in honour of Lieutenant Colonel Charles-Michel d’Irumberry de Salaberry, CB. At the centre of the traffic circle is another memorial, NICMM 24029-013, dedicated to the veterans of the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War.

Charles-Michel d’Irumberry de Salaberry was born in Beauport, near Quebec City, in November 1778. He enlisted in the British Army in 1792 at the age of 14, and saw action with the 60^th Regiment in the West Indies and in the Netherlands. He was given a company command in 1803, continuing to serve in Europe and the West Indies. In 1810, de Salaberry was recalled to Canada with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. He served as aide-de-camp to Major General Francis de Rottenburg, but in 1812 he was appointed to command a new corps of volunteers, the Canadian Voltiguers (light infantry). Les Voltiguers were essentially militia men, but de Salaberry trained them as regulars similar to the Fencible units raised in Upper Canada. In November 1812, de Salaberry commanded the advance guard of the force that turned away an American attack at La Colle Mill. Later, some Voltiguers took part in the decisive Battle of Crysler’s Farm. In October 1813, he confronted the Americans threatening Montreal. Colonel de Salaberry, at the head of some 300 Voltiguers and Canadian and Indian volunteers, repulsed several thousand American troops. In 1817, he was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath. He later became a legislative councilor for Lower Canada until his death in February 1829.

This traffic circle is named in honour of General Sir Arthur Currie, GCMG, KCB, VD, Légion d’honneur and Croix de Guerre (with palm)- France, Order of the Crown and Croix de Guerre – Belgium, Distinguished Service Medal – US. At the centre of the traffic circle is another memorial, NICMM 24029-012, dedicated to General Sir Arthur Currie and members of the Army who gave their lives.

General Sir Arthur William Currie was born in December 1875, in the hamlet of Napperton, near Strathroy. He moved to Victoria in 1894 and taught at public schools in the area. In 1897, he joined the 5^th Regiment, Canadian Garrison Artillery (C.G.A.) and has the unique distinction of starting his military career as a pre-war militia gunner before rising through the ranks to become the first Canadian commander of the four divisions of the unified Canadian Corps of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. He was the first Canadian to attain the rank of full general. Currie’s success was based on his ability to rapidly adapt brigade tactics to the exigencies of trench warfare, using set-piece operations. Currie was not afraid to voice his disagreement with orders or to suggest strategic changes to a plan of attack, and is generally considered to be among the most capable commanders of the Western Front and one of the finest commanders in Canadian military history. A courageous and innovative officer, he is best remembered for his involvement in formulating the plan for the great victory at Vimy Ridge. Then, as the first Canadian commander of the Canadian Corps, his brilliant leadership produced the sweeping Canadian victories of the War’s Last Hundred Days. After the war, Currie was offered the position of Principal and Vice-Chancellor of McGill University. He held this post with distinction from 1920 until his death in November, 1933.

This road is named in honour of Brigadier Paul Triquet, VC.

Paul Triquet was born in Cabano, Quebec on 2 April 1910. At the age of 17, he joined the Royal 22e Régiment. In December 1943, Captain Triquet was a company commander with the regiment’s battalion serving in Italy with the Canadian Army’s 1st Infantry Division.

On 13 December 1943, plans were made by the 1st Infantry Division to get around the western end of the German defences running inland from the Adriatic Sea just south of the small coastal city of Ortona. By “turning” the enemy line, the 1st Division hoped to open the way to Ortona, its objective, and to capture the city. The key to the success of the plan was an advance by the Royal 22e Régiment north-eastward along the road to Ortona to seize an important road junction.

At 10:30 on the morning of 14 December “C” and “D” Companies of the “Van Doos”, supported by tanks from “C” Squadron of The Ontario Regiment, began moving up both sides of the road. The force had already met and destroyed two German tanks. On the left, about half-way to the hamlet of Casa Berardi, Captain Triquet’s “C” Company began to encounter fierce resistance from enemy machine guns and infantry sheltered in wrecked buildings and in terrain favourable to the defenders, all backed up by tanks and self-propelled guns. On the right, “D” Company became lost and took no further part in the action that day. “C” Company and the Ontario tanks proceeded to fight their way through the opposition, knocking out three more tanks and eliminating the Germans’ defensive positions. At this stage, the company had been reduced to fifty men and one officer – Triquet. Although ammunition was running low, Triquet, his men and their supporting tanks persevered in the attack, capturing Casa Berardi late in the afternoon and driving on nearly to the crossroads. Here the survivors, now only fifteen strong with four tanks, were stopped by mortar fire, and retired to Casa Berardi to prepare for counterattacks. As darkness fell, “B” Company of the Royal 22e arrived to reinforce Triquet, and by the early hours of 15 December the battalion’s remaining two companies had reached Casa Berardi. The western flank of the German line had been turned. For his courageous and determined leadership resulting in the capture and retention of Casa Berardi, Captain Triquet received the Victoria Cross.

Triquet died in Quebec City, Quebec on 4 August 1980.

This road is named in honour of Lance-Corporal Frederick Fisher, VC.

Fred Fisher was born in St. Catharine’s, Ontario on August 3, 1895. His family moved to Montreal where Fisher was studying Applied Science at McGill University when the First World War began.

On April 23, 1915, Lance-Corporal Fisher was serving in Belgium with the machine gun section of the 13^th Infantry Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force. Coming up from St Julien that day during the Second Battle of Ypres, he discovered two 18-pounder field guns in danger of being overrun by attacking German infantry. Fisher brought his machine gun into action, and with the help of six other soldiers, held the enemy off until the field guns could be withdrawn. Later the same day he was killed during another attempt to move forward.

For his part in this first major engagement of the war in which Canadian troops were involved, Lance-Corporal Fisher was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously, and became the first Canadian from a Canadian unit to win the decoration in that conflict.

This road is named in honour of Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Alexander Caron Scrimger, VC.

Francis Alexander Caron Scrimger was born in Montreal on February 10, 1881. He studied medicine at McGill University. At the outbreak of the war, he joined the Canadian Army Medical Corps and served as medical officer of the 14^th Infantry Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force.

Captain Scrimger earned the Victoria Cross in Ypres, Belgium, April 25, 1915 for bravery in directing the evacuation of the wounded from his advanced dressing station under heavy enemy shelling. He himself carried a severely wounded officer to safety, and when unable to continue, remained with him under fire until additional help could be obtained. Scrimger died in Montreal on February 13, 1937.

This road is named in honour of Pilot Officer Andrew Charles Mynarski, VC.

Andrew Charles Mynarski was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba on 14 October 1916. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in 1941.

On the night of 12 to 13 June 1944, Pilot Officer Mynarski was the mid-upper gunner in an Avro Lancaster bomber of 419 Squadron, RCAF during an attack on the railway yards at Cambrai, in France. When the aircraft was attacked by a German night fighter, both port engines failed, and fire broke out between the mid-upper and rear gun turrets, as well as in the port wing fuel tanks. Soon the flames grew to such an extent that the pilot ordered the aircraft abandoned. As Mynarski left his turret and proceeded toward the escape hatch, he saw that the rear gunner, Flying Officer G.P. Brophy, was unable to get out of his turret, which could not be moved due to the failure of both the hydraulic and manual systems. At once Mynarski made his way aft through the fire in an attempt to free Brophy. With his parachute and the clothing below his waist now on fire, Mynarski strained to move the turret and release Brophy, but to no avail. At this point, Brophy indicated clearly that there was no more to be done, and that Mynarski should save himself. Reluctantly, Mynarski went back through the flames to the escape hatch and jumped, his parachute and clothing all on fire. After landing, he was eventually found by the French, but died due to the severity of his burns.

For his courageous and selfless attempt to save his crewmate, Pilot Officer Mynarski was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously. Miraculously, Flying Officer Brophy survived the crash of the stricken and abandoned Lancaster, and, courtesy of the French Resistance, was back in England in September.

This road is named in honour of 2^nd Lieutenant Alan Arnett McLeod, VC.

The youngest Canadian to earn the Victoria Cross, Alan Arnett McLeod, was awarded the VC at the age of 18. Alan was born in Stonewall, Manitoba on April 20, 1899. He showed an early affinity for the military and in 1913, although 4 years under age, he joined the 34^th Fort Garry Horse for summer training. When the First World War started, he tried to enlist several times and was rejected each time because he was underage. Finally in 1917, just days after his 18^th birthday, he entered the Royal Flying Corps in Toronto. By August, he was sent overseas to England and by the end of the year; he was flying missions over France. On March 27, 1918, Alan & his gunner Lt. A.W. Hammond, M.C. were on a mission when they were attacked by 8 German triplanes. During the ensuing gunfight, both McLeod and Hammond were wounded several times. A bullet struck their gas tank and their plane caught fire. McLeod climbed out on the wing and continued to fly the plane while Hammond continued to fire at the enemy planes. They managed to shoot down three enemy planes before they crashed in “No Man’s Land”. Alan McLeod was wounded again as he dragged Hammond to safety. He received his VC on September 4, 1918, and returned to Manitoba to recover from his wounds, but contracted influenza and died November 6, 1918.