Historic Sites of Manitoba: Manitoba Government Telephones War Memorial (Winnipeg)

A list of employees of Manitoba Government Telephones, who served in the First World War and were killed, was unveiled at the head office of the company at a ceremony on 10 November 1922 attended by Major-General H. D. B. Ketchen. It was observed during the ceremony by MGT Commissioner John Edmond Lowry that over 50 percent of male members of the company had served during the war.

The present whereabouts of the memorial is unknown.

Manitoba Government Telephones War Memorial (1922) Source: Telephone Echo, Volume 7, 1927-1928 [Legislative Library of Manitoba]

First World War Casualties

Name	Occupation	Service	Rank	Birth Date	Death Date
Peter Borthwick	Accountant	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lieutenant	29 September 1889	26 October 1917
Henry James Chapman	Telephone Wire Chief	29th Ballation, Canadian Infantry	Private	7 May 1893	11 November 1916
Thomas Birtwistle Douglas [Portage la Prairie]	Clerk	10th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lieutenant	1890	28 April 1917
John Fraser [Next of Kin]	Driver	28th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	2 August 1881	18 July 1918
Arthur Taylor Fulford [Oakland, Portage]	Telephone Lineman	27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	8 November 1891	3 May 1917
Alexander Grant DSO [Next of Kin]	Superintendent	78th Battalion Canadian Infantry	Major	6 May 1883	11 August 1918
Thomas Henry Large	Electrician	1st Canadian Mounted Rifles	Private	22 March 1890	28 October 1917
Alexander McNab [Knox Presbyterian, Portage, Sidney]	Telephone Inspector	Sergeant	10th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	21 August 1891	24 May 1915
George E. Olmstead	Electrician	52nd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	4 September 1890	5 October 1918
David James Robertson MM [Brandon Armoury]	Storekeeper	22nd Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps	Sergeant	?	3 November 1918

See also:

MHS Centennial Business: Manitoba Government Telephones / Manitoba Telephone System / MTS Allstream / Bell MTS

Sources:

“Vacancies filled by returned men, he says: Statement of Commissioner Lowry at unveiling of memorial," Manitoba Free Press, 11 November 1922, page 9.

“Telephone employes’ war tablet is unveiled,” Winnipeg Tribune, 13 November 1922, page 17.

This page was prepared by Darryl Toews and Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 20 October 2023

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