Valour Road in Winnipeg, Manitoba
Prior to 1914, Valour Road was known as Pine Street. The street was lined with small family homes in what was then the far western suburbs of Winnipeg. When World War I erupted, many of the young men from the area went off to fight.
On April 24, 1915, 30-year-old Frederick Hall spent the night rescuing wounded soldiers from no-man’s-land territory during the war. As he attempted to rescue another soldier under heavy fire, Hall was shot and killed.
On September 16, 1916, 23-year-old Leo Clarke was ordered to occupy a trench to offer support during a battle. He was the only member of his section left standing, the rest were wounded or dead. Clarke was killed less than a month later when fighting alongside his brother. Robert Shankland was an officer whose platoon was charged with defending a trench line near Passchendale. He managed to survive the war.
These three men all lived on the same block of Pine St and were all awarded the Victoria Cross for their acts of bravery. To honor their service, the city of Winnipeg decided to rename Pine St to Valour Rd.
The street remains a quiet, elm-lined area, but at the corner of Valour Rd and Ellice Ave is a remembrance mural dedicated to these war heroes.
