Shilo Stag
Did you know there is an actual Victoria Cross (VC) medal on display at the RCA Museum.
It was on Jan. 31, 2009 when the museum unveiled a new display in the Manitoba Hall of Honour, which pays tribute to Manitobans who have won 13 of Canada’s 94 Victoria Crosses. Initially, two of those VC medals were on long-term display on this Base. Aside from being Manitobans, both soldiers have significant local connections as well.
The medals of Capt O’Kelly and Sgt Spall were on display in the Manitoba Hall of Honour, a room which offers visitors a history, via digital displays, of the 13 Manitobans who were awarded the Victoria Cross. The VC is the highest award in the Commonwealth, and it is given out for valour in the face of the enemy.
“When we established the Manitoba Hall of Honour, we wanted to have some Manitoba Victoria Crosses in it,” recalled former RCA Museum director Marc George. “That was always our goal.”
When the idea for the new exhibit surfaced, George recalled researching where some of the VCs were being held, and then contacted some of those agencies. The Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, which had Capt O’Kelly’s medals in storage, and the PPCLI Museum and Archives in Calgary, where Sgt Spall’s medals were housed, were coincidentally the first two agencies George contacted.
“We picked the [VC recipients] that had the most local significance,” explained George. “With the Patricias on Base, it makes the most sense for us to have some of their heritage in this museum so they can benefit.”
He added, “These are really significant things that these Canadians achieved, and you do get to share in that … it’s actually relatively rare to even see a Victoria Cross [up close].”
Capt Christopher O’Kelly received his VC for valour during the Battle of Passchendaele on Oct. 26, 1917. Born in Winnipeg, he has a strong connection to CFB Shilo, where the elementary school is named in his honour. Capt O’Kelly’s unit, the 52nd Battalion, is perpetuated by the Lake Superior Scottish Regiment in Thunder Bay, Ont. He is the only member of that unit to have received the VC. His medals are on loan from the Ottawa-based Canadian War Museum.
Sgt Robert Spall received his VC posthumously for valour at the Battle of Amiens on the night of Aug. 12, 1918. His local connection? He is one of three members of Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) to have won the VC. Sgt Spall’s VC is on loan from the Calgary-based PPCLI Museum and Archives.
The cross which bears her name was implemented by Queen Victoria and designed by her husband Albert, the Prince Consort. She was intimately involved in all aspects of the design and personally chose the award criteria and that the words “For Valour” be inscribed on the medal.
The VC was officially created by Royal Decree on Feb. 3, 1856. It remains the highest award in the Commonwealth for valour in the face of the enemy.
Queen Victoria died on Jan. 22, 1901. Her casket was carried for burial on a 15-pounder cannon in a funeral cortege on Feb. 4, 1901. That cannon is now part of the RCA Museum’s collection.
Visit the museum and check out the medals in the Manitoba Hall of Honour.
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Robert Spall was born in Suffolk County, England, on March 5, 1890. When he was age two, he moved with his parents to Canada. Just prior to the First World War he was working as an office clerk in Winnipeg. In August 1915, he joined a draft of the 90th Winnipeg Rifles and was in the field in France by April 1916. He transferred to the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) in July 1916. His act of valour took place near Parvillers, France, on Aug. 12 and 13, 1918, during the Canadian advance in front of Amiens which broke the back of the German Army on the Western Front. Sgt Spall has no known grave. His name is inscribed on the Vimy Memorial in France. Spall Lake north of Cauchon Lake, MB, was named after him in 2001.
For Sgt Spall’s involvement to earn his VC, the Canadian Corps was the spearhead of the great Allied offensive at Amiens which began at 4:20 a.m. on Aug. 8, 1918. The attack was a stunning success. The German Chief of Staff (COS) Gen Eric Ludendorff stated that “Aug. 8 was the black day of the German Army in the history of the war.” The Allied gains, led by the Canadian Corps, convinced him the war was lost. Two days later, he convinced the Kaiser this was true. The Canadians were involved in attacks on the Amiens front until Aug. 19. German resistance stiffened as the Canadians began to assault the depth defences approximately 10 miles east of their starting positions on Aug. 10. Sgt Spall was involved in the attempt to close in on the flanks of the village of Parvillers on the night of Aug. 12 and 13. He was killed while taking action to allow his platoon to withdraw in the face of a determined German counter-attack. He is the only Canadian to win the VC that day. The village of Parvillers was entered by the PPCLI on Aug. 14, but the Battalion was forced back. The village finally fell to two other Canadian Battalions, the Royal Canadian Regiment and the 116th Battalion, on Aug. 15.
In August 1916, Sgt Spall was with PPCLI, when his act of valour occurred near Parvillers, France. His Victoria Cross citation is as follows: “For most conspicuous bravery and self-sacrifice when, during an enemy counter-attack, his platoon was isolated. Thereupon Sgt Spall took a Lewis gun and, standing upon the parapet, fired upon the advancing enemy, inflicting very severe casualties. He then came down the trench directing the men into a sap 75 yards from the enemy. Picking up another Lewis gun this gallant NCO again climbed the parapet, and by his fire held up the enemy. It was while holding up the enemy at this point that he was killed. Sgt Spall deliberately gave his life in order to extricate his platoon from a most difficult situation, and it was owing to his bravery that the platoon was saved.”
The London Gazette — Sept. 27, 1918
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Christopher Patrick John O’Kelly was born in Winnipeg, MB, on Nov. 20, 1896.
At the age of 21, Capt O’Kelly was the youngest soldier in the Commonwealth ever to win both the Military Cross and the Victoria Cross.
The operation on Oct. 26 was the first in a series of four major assaults by the Canadian Corps to take Passchendaele Ridge from its German defenders in 1917. The attack began at 5:40 a.m. and was aimed at taking the forward projection of the ridge, known as the Bellevue Spur. All did not go well initially, but a small party of men under command of Lt Robert Shankland from the 43rd Canadian Battalion did manage to hold on to a portion of the Spur against serious German opposition. Shortly after noon, elements of the 52nd Battalion managed to fight through and link up with Lt Shankland’s small party. The 52nd then went on to clear the Bellevue Spur. As part of this operation, the Company under command of Capt O’Kelly captured six enemy pillboxes and 100 prisoners. Three Victoria Crosses were awarded to Canadians for their actions on this day. Two went to men from Manitoba: Lt Shankland and Capt O’Kelly.
The London Gazette described the reasons O’Kelly was a recipient of the VC on Jan. 11, 1918: “For most conspicuous bravery in an action in which he led his company with extraordinary skill and determination. After the original attack [at Passchendaele] had failed and two companies of his unit had launched a new attack, Capt O’Kelly advanced his command over 1,000 yards under heavy fire without any artillery barrage, took the enemy’s positions on the crest of the hill by storm, and then personally organized and led a series of attacks against ‘pill-boxes,’ his company alone capturing six of them with 100 prisoners and 10 machine-guns. The whole of these achievements were chiefly due to the magnificent courage, daring and ability of Capt O’Kelly.”
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Of the two actual VCs initially on display, just Sgt Spall’s remains at the museum. Capt O’Kelly’s VC went back to the Military Museum of Calgary in 2019.
