war in 1914, many young men signed up thinking it would ail be
over by Christmas. tin-one expected tour long, miserable years of
trench warfare, or realized how many would never come home. By
1918, out of a population of 8 miilion, about 595,000 Canadians
had enlisted, 418,000 went overseas and more than 60,030 died, not even
mentioning the enormous contribution from farms and factories.

Four hundred and fifty men and seven women from Westminster Church,
and over 300 from Young, signed up. Westminster opened up its facilities for
soldiers in training. Ail Saints dedicated a. new pipe organ as a memorial to the
members of the congregation who “had made the supreme sacrifice” — to mention
only a fraction of the war effort.

Today the “War to End All Wars" has faded from our memory. One battle is
commemorated at Vimy Ridge Park. We owe this memorial to the persistence and
dedication of one man, Ed Russenhoit, who would not let the memory of the 44th
Battalion , 10‘“ Brigade, 4‘” Canadian Division - Six Thousand Canadian Men -« die.

Vimy Ridge was a German-held, heayiiy-fortified ridge in northeastern
France which had frustrated British and French troops for two years. in a four—day
assault starting on Easter Monday, April 9, 191?, four Canadian divisions, 40,000
in all, took the ridge, with the 44‘“ Battaiion taking the highest point, a heavily
fortified outcropping called The Pimple. The capture of Vimy Ridge cost 3,600
kitted and 7000 wounded.

Many of the young men who served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force
were recent immigrants. When they joined up, they may not have thought at
themselves as Canadians, but as British subjects, or perhaps as Manitohans or Nova
Scotians or Torontonians. Serving together as Canadians forged a sense of national
identity, reinforced by the reputation Canadian troops earned in war. Vimy Ridge
was a battle that helped to turn a colony into a nation. :

The soldiers of the 441“ raised a memorial to their comrades on the crest of
the Pimple in 1917. It was later dismantled and sent to St. James Park where it was
dedicated in 1926. in 1963, Veterans Affairs decided to abandon the memorial.
Edgar Russenholt, who had served with the 44th and served as secretary‘treasurer
of the Battalion association ever since the war, rallied the survivors in a passionate
appeal to preserve the memorial. On June 15, 1367, the restored monument was
dedicated in a park now renamed vmr RIDGE MEMORIAL PARK. ‘

The 4415 Battalion merged with Royal Winnipeg Rifles (the Little Black
Devils) in the 19605. Edgar Russenholt died in 199i at the remarkable age of 100.
Besides his long—time dedication to the memory of the 44th Battalion, Mr.
Russenholt was a local historian and advocate of many community issues, inciuding
the preservation of Omand’s Creek for recreation.

57

OTHER MEMORIES

The Cameron Highlanders
Memorial Chapel

First Presbyterian Church
near Vimy Park

The 79th Cameron
Highianders (“Ralph
Connor’s" unit) also
distinguished themseives at

Vimy.

Wesley Runions of Young
Church was wounded at
Vimy Ridge.

“if it hadn’t been that his
parents had given him a
little testament, and he’d
put it in his left pocket, he’d
have been kiiied — it had the
nose cap of the bullet right
in it — embedded in it.”

— Kathleen Runions

(Our Church is Not a
Building)

The 19‘“ Mnnipeg Troop
Boy Scouts, St. James Park
Congregational Church, was
temporarily disbanded when
Scoutmaster Percy T. Cox
and several patrol leaders
enlisted in the 90m Battalion
(Royal Winnipeg Rifles).
Lieut. Cox was killed in
action in France.