Are you or do you know a descendant of a Russian or Ukrainian man who served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War? I have been researching for three years now, and have learned much about men from Ukrainian regions who enlisted in Canada. I would like to contact and interview descendants of these veterans for a forthcoming book. The tale of Ukrainians forced into internment camps has been told. Now it is time to talk about the men who fought for Canada. Please PM me if you have any info, or leave a note here.
Russian Ukrainians in the CEF
- Thread starter johnpeter
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you might try the member of parliament for dauphin Manitoba,Inky mark,he has been doing a lot of work in This field,he can probably help.there are many of Ukrainian descent in his riding,if one were to want info for research on this,that would be a great place to look.
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If memory serves me right, there was a Ukranian canadian that came from Ottawa, served in the GGFG / Camerons (or unit perpetuated by them) that won decoration for valour. After the war he worked at housekeeping in the House of Commons and pretty much had the run of the place for as long as he cared to be there.
Gotta dig up articles from the Citzen....
Gotta dig up articles from the Citzen....
Michael Dorosh
Army.ca Veteran
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johnpeter said:
I thought they were formed by the Canadian Grenadier Guards in Ottawa, not the Westminsters...
EDIT - whoops, check that - they were redesignated Western Ontario in 1918 but did indeed start out as a BC unit. I believe it is the Guards who claim him as a VC today though, no? Through some nefarious dealings by the Otter Committee, no doubt.
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Yup - Konowal it is.
Most MPs were all quite respectful of Mr Konowal & gave him leave to come and go from Parliament Hill for as long as he cared to do so.
(GGFG - not CGG)
Honourably discharged, Konowal was plagued by medical and other problems, which were thought to be a result of his war wounds. In 1928, he began to rebuild his life. Then living in Ottawa, he was befriended by another Victoria Cross winner, Maj Milton Fowler Gregg, who was a company commander with the Foot Guards. Maj Gregg convinced the Regiment to hire Konowal, and also secured a job for him as a junior caretaker in the House of Commons. Prime Minister William Lyon MacKenzie King spotted Konowal washing the floors of the Parliament Buildings and had him reassigned to the Prime Minister's Office (now the Speaker's Reception Room).
In 1956 the Ottawa Citizen, interviewed Sgt Konowal, and when asked about being a janitor he replied, "I mopped up overseas with a rifle, and here I must mop up with a mop." He also revealed that the real reason of how he won the Victoria Cross which was not part of the official record:
"I was so fed up standing in the trench with water to my waist that I said the hell with it and started after the German army. My Captain tried to shoot me because he figured I was deserting."
Konowal died in Ottawa on 3 June 1959 and was buried in Notre Dame Cemetery on Ottawa's Montreal Road with his name misspelled and his heroic actions forgotten. On 15 July 1996, the war hero was honoured with a new headstone, bearing a carved replica of the Victoria Cross and his name correctly spelled. On the same day, a commemorative bronze plaque was unveiled at Cartier Square Drill Hall, with the inscriptions in Ukrainian, English, and French. The honourable David Collenette, Minister of National Defence, delivered the keynote speech with the Governor General's Foot Guards and the Band of the Ceremonial Guard providing a Guard of Honour. Konowal was also honoured in Toronto, and in New Westminster BC, the home of the 47th Battalion and later in his home town of Kudkiv in Ukraine.
Most MPs were all quite respectful of Mr Konowal & gave him leave to come and go from Parliament Hill for as long as he cared to do so.
(GGFG - not CGG)
Honourably discharged, Konowal was plagued by medical and other problems, which were thought to be a result of his war wounds. In 1928, he began to rebuild his life. Then living in Ottawa, he was befriended by another Victoria Cross winner, Maj Milton Fowler Gregg, who was a company commander with the Foot Guards. Maj Gregg convinced the Regiment to hire Konowal, and also secured a job for him as a junior caretaker in the House of Commons. Prime Minister William Lyon MacKenzie King spotted Konowal washing the floors of the Parliament Buildings and had him reassigned to the Prime Minister's Office (now the Speaker's Reception Room).
In 1956 the Ottawa Citizen, interviewed Sgt Konowal, and when asked about being a janitor he replied, "I mopped up overseas with a rifle, and here I must mop up with a mop." He also revealed that the real reason of how he won the Victoria Cross which was not part of the official record:
"I was so fed up standing in the trench with water to my waist that I said the hell with it and started after the German army. My Captain tried to shoot me because he figured I was deserting."
Konowal died in Ottawa on 3 June 1959 and was buried in Notre Dame Cemetery on Ottawa's Montreal Road with his name misspelled and his heroic actions forgotten. On 15 July 1996, the war hero was honoured with a new headstone, bearing a carved replica of the Victoria Cross and his name correctly spelled. On the same day, a commemorative bronze plaque was unveiled at Cartier Square Drill Hall, with the inscriptions in Ukrainian, English, and French. The honourable David Collenette, Minister of National Defence, delivered the keynote speech with the Governor General's Foot Guards and the Band of the Ceremonial Guard providing a Guard of Honour. Konowal was also honoured in Toronto, and in New Westminster BC, the home of the 47th Battalion and later in his home town of Kudkiv in Ukraine.
This quote has never made sense to me; he won the VC in late August at Lens, during a dry hot spell. But I'm sure that like most vets he spent more time in water up to his waist than in comfortable weather, so it's okay, Filip.geo said:
God bless your service. 
my old school teacher fought in wwI he use to tell stories about the ground being so full of water in most parts of Europe during that war.that no matter how dry it was on the ground, where ever you dug a trench it would fill full of water.johnpeter said:This quote has never made sense to me; he won the VC in late August at Lens, during a dry hot spell. But I'm sure that like most vets he spent more time in water up to his waist than in comfortable weather, so it's okay, Filip.
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I think one of the largest ethnic groups in the 218th (Edmonton Irish Guards) Bn, CEF were Ukrainians.
Erin Go Bragh
Erin Go Bragh
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