By Martin Zeilig
Like many locations across the city, the Lieutenant-Colonel Harcus Strachan, VC, MC Armoury (formerly McGregor Armoury) will hold a public Remembrance Day Service starting at 10:40 AM on November 11. Following the service, the public is invited to tour The Fort Garry Horse Museum and Archives, located on the armoury’s third floor. Gord Crossley, curator of the museum and a longtime member of The Fort Garry Horse, shared insights during a recent tour of the nearly 1,000 square foot museum.
“This is where we keep our regimental memories, files, records, uniforms, equipment, and firearms,” Mr. Crossley explained. “This is the place to come if you want to learn about our history. It’s the attic of the regiment.”
The Fort Garry Horse has maintained a museum in Winnipeg since the 1950s. “There has always been a regimental collection since the end of the First World War,” he noted. The museum moved to its current location in 1977, which was originally the caretaker’s apartment built in 1915. The space, which included two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a dining room, was converted into a museum in the 1970s, and now features three display rooms.
Mr. Crossley emphasized that the museum is accredited by the Canadian Museums Association, the Association of Manitoba Museums, and the Department of National Defence. The Fort Garry Horse Museum also has ties to 17 Wing. “In 1918, the Commanding Officer of The Fort Garry Horse was Lieutenant Colonel Herbert Irving Stevenson, who was the chief forester for Manitoba,” he said. “He flew with Squadron Leader Basil Hobbs, the first Commander of our base, to assess the efficiency of aerial forestry surveys, which helped justify the existence of the RCAF at that time.”
Recently, several artifacts were sent to the museum by Stevenson’s family. “It’s all about connections,” Mr. Crossley remarked. “These connections helped justify the operational wing of the RCAF headquartered in Winnipeg.”
Visitors, especially those with an interest in military history, should plan to spend at least an hour exploring the various displays.
The LCol SJ Cox Room features exhibits from the regiment’s formation in 1912 to the end of the cavalry era in 1939. The walls are lined with photographs, weapons, and artifacts, complemented by a full-size diorama of a First World War horse and rider, along with a trench replica. Visitors can follow the regiment’s history chronologically through descriptive texts on the walls.
“The room was completely renovated and reopened to the public on November 11, 2018,” a brochure states.
The BGen RW Paterson Room showcases mannequins in uniforms from 1912 to the present day, and features a specially commissioned stained-glass window above the door, depicting the central device from the Regimental Guidon. The BGen REA Morton Room highlights the Garrys’ history during the Second World War, detailing their transition from a militia cavalry unit to the 10th Canadian Armoured Regiment, which led the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944, and the subsequent 11 months of fighting in Northwest Europe.
“The connecting hallway displays panels dedicated to the Regular Regiment from 1958 to 1970,” Mr. Crossley noted. One cabinet showcases medals and awards received by unit members, while another is reserved for special displays. At one end of the hallway, there is a display dedicated to the North-West Rebellion of 1885. “The Garrys carry three battle honors from the rebellion due to our amalgamation with the Manitoba Horse in 1936,” the brochure explains.
On the armoury’s parade square, visitors can see a 1955 Triumph dispatch rider’s motorcycle, a German 88mm “Puppchen” wheeled rocket launcher, and a “Goliath” demolition vehicle, all captured during the Second World War. Outside the building, there is a M4A2E8 Sherman tank from 1945, a Lynx tracked reconnaissance vehicle from 1967, and an 8-wheeled Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV III) used by the Canadian Armed Forces in Afghanistan.
“Winnipeg boasts a remarkable collection of military museums, including The Fort Garry Horse Museum and Archives,” Mr. Crossley said. Notable nearby museums include those at 17 Wing, 1 Canadian Air Division, and the airpark at One Air Force Way. Additionally, the Royal Winnipeg Rifles Museum at Minto Armoury and the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders Museum are worth visiting, along with the Combat Service Support Museum.
Further afield, the Naval Museum of Manitoba at HMCS Chippawa and the Legion House Museum at the Norwood Legion, run by the Military History Society of Manitoba, also contribute to the region’s military heritage. Outside Winnipeg, visitors can explore the Royal Canadian Artillery Museum at CFB Shilo and the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum in Brandon.
“At this time of national remembrance, it’s important to recognize that these museums keep Canada’s military history accessible to the public year-round,” Mr. Crossley concluded.
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