Historic Sites of Manitoba: Erickson War Memorial (First Street SW, Erickson, Municipality of Clanwilliam-Erickson)

In 1947, Peter K. Peterson of Erickson donated two lots to the Erickson Legion Branch No. 143 to build a Legion Hut and Cenotaph. The cenotaph was built by Ted Neilson, Wyman Miller, Enoch Ehlin and John Marcino. For many years, a memorial service was held in August or September at the site. In 1964, the Legion purchased the Scandia Hall on First Street and the former location was sold to Parkwood Auto. The cenotaph could not be moved so its plaque was removed and stored in the Legion Hall. In 1979, a new cenotaph was built at a cost of $1,600, commemorating Second World War personnel killed overseas.

Erickson War Memorial (July 2011) Source: Christian Cassidy Site Coordinates (lat/long): N50.49740, W99.91626 denoted by symbol on the map above

Second World War

Name	Service	Rank	Birth Date	Death Date
Gordon Lennard Carlson	Royal Winnipeg Rifles	Rifleman	11 July 1918	25 September 1944
John Gibson Clarke	Calgary Highlanders, Royal Canadian Infantry Corps	Private	1 March 1924	28 February 1945
Harry Erickson	10 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Flight Sergeant	21 April 1922	29 June 1943
Joseph Grodecki	405 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Pilot Officer	14 September 1921	23 April 1944
Oliver John Haralson	419 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Sergeant	18 October 1912	14 May 1943
Stephen Kozak	4 Mobile Laundry and Bath Unit, Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps	Private	14 January 1910	12 March 1943
George William Mayor	424 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Pilot Officer	27 September 1924	25 April 1944
Donald Maurice Neilson	420 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Flight Officer	5 June 1925	18 April 1945
William Edward O’Brien	Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada	Private	?	19 August 1942
Joseph Raymond Pollon	Royal Canadian Air Force	Sergeant	13 June 1924	28 May 1944
Thomas Paul Podruski	South Saskatchewan Regiment, Royal Canadian Infantry Corps	Private	24 December 1922	28 August 1944
Everett Raymond Rognan	408 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Flight Officer	5 August 1920	27 April 1944
James Allen Reid	Royal Winnipeg Rifles	Sergeant	22 December 1917	8 June 1944
Nigel Reid	Lake Superior Regiment (Motor), Royal Canadian Infantry Corps	Private	28 June 1904	26 December 1942
Harry T. Sharp	Royal Winnipeg Rifles	Corporal	20 January 1908	4 July 1944
Matthew Donald Smith	2 Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery	Gunner	12 December 1916	25 July 1944
Thomas William Vaughan	4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards, Royal Canadian Armoured Corps	Private	13 March 1923	1 September 1944
Fred Edward Wickstrom	Royal Canadian Air Force	Flight Officer	28 April 1919	25 October 1942
John Shaw Winder	101 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Pilot Officer	8 May 1922	17 June 1944
Gerald Harvey Woodcock	78 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Flight Sergeant	18 October 1918	30 July 1943
Kenneth John Woodcock	Royal Winnipeg Rifles	Rifleman	8 July 1920	30 March 1945
John Fyfe Young	4 Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery	Gunner	16 September 1922	23 August 1944

Sources:

For the names of First World War casualities from Manitoba who do not appear on any physical monument in the province, see the Manitoba Historical Society War Memorial. If you know of a name that is omitted from this list, please contact the MHS War Memorial Researcher Darryl Toews (darryl@mhs.mb.ca).

Soldiers of the First World War - Canadian Expeditionary Force, Library and Archives Canada.

Canadian Virtual War Memorial, Veterans Affairs Canada.

Financial support for research reported on this page was provided by the Manitoba Heritage Grants Program (2015-2016).

We thank Beryl Parrott for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough, Darryl Toews, Tim Worth, and Christian Cassidy.

Page revised: 26 January 2021

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