Historic Sites of Manitoba: Brandon Hills United Church / Brandon Hills War Memorial and Pioneer Monument (RM of Cornwallis)

Situated next to the Brandon Hills Cemetery in the Rural Municipality of Cornwallis, two monuments at this site commemorate local residents killed during the First World War (erected in June 1919) and pioneers who first settled here in 1879. Behind the monuments is the building for Brandon Hills United Church. It replaced the former building, which had occupied the site from 1896 to 2004.

The church congregation was established in 1879 by Rev. George Roddick, but a formal building was not erected until 1896, under the pastorates of T. R. Shearer and John Lewis, on land donated by Roddick. The architect for the 40 foot by 28 foot building was W. H. Shillinglaw. It opened on 18 October 1896, with a service conducted by the Rev. J. M. King.

Among the other clerics who served at Brandon Hills Church were John William Ridd and Herbert Thomas Reynolds.

Next to the church is the Brandon Hills Cemetery, and opposite it is Brandon Hills School No. 138.

Former Brandon Hills United Church

Former Brandon Hills United Church (circa 2002)
Source: Doug Parsonage

Site of Brandon Hills monuments in front of the present Brandon Hills United Church

Site of Brandon Hills monuments in front of the present Brandon Hills United Church (October 2011)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Brandon Hills war memorial

Brandon Hills war memorial (October 2011)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Brandon Hills pioneer monument

Brandon Hills pioneer monument (October 2011)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Brandon Hills pioneer monument

Brandon Hills pioneer monument (July 2021)
Source: George Penner

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.75299, W99.87136
denoted by symbol on the map above

First World War Casualties

Name

Occupation

Service

Rank

Birth Date

Death Date

David William Blackwell

Teamster

27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

1893

22 January 1916

Henry John Davis
[Armoury, Brandon College]

Student

46th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

7 April 1894

6 May 1917

Albert Vernon Hansford
[Wawanesa]

Farmhand

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

20 December 1896

6 December 1917

Harry Walker Kneeshaw
[Armoury]

Farmer

44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

12 October 1893

1 November 1917

Albert George Palmer

Farmer

27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

1885

21 January 1916

Herbert Pettitt

Milk Carrier

2nd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment

Private

1897

3 January 1916

Arthur Edward West
[Armoury, Carberry, Minitonas]

Farmer

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

28 April 1899

27 September 1918

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).

The Brandon Hills Story by Murray McPherson, 1979.

We thank Darryl Toews and George Penner for providing information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 9 May 2023

Historic Sites of Manitoba

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