1st Bn The Winnipeg Grenadiers
General Information | ||
| Rank: | First Name: | Second Name: |
|---|---|---|
| Lance Corporal | Edwin | Alexander |
| From: | Enlistment Region: | Date of Birth (y-m-d): |
| Pilot Mound MB | Manitoba | 1915-05-02 |
| Appointment: | Company: | Platoon: |
| Section Commander | A | |
Transportation - Home Base to Hong Kong
Members of 'C' Force from the East travelled across Canada by CNR troop train, picking up reinforcements enroute. Stops included Valcartier, Montreal, Ottawa, Armstrong ON, Capreol ON, Winnipeg, Melville SK, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Jasper, and Vancouver, arriving in Vancouver on Oct 27 at 0800 hrs.
The Winnipeg Grenadiers and the local soldiers that were with Brigade Headquarters from Winnipeg to BC travelled on a CPR train to Vancouver.
All members embarked from Vancouver on the ships AWATEA and PRINCE ROBERT. AWATEA was a New Zealand Liner and the PRINCE ROBERT was a converted cruiser. "C" Company of the Rifles was assigned to the PRINCE ROBERT, everyone else boarded the AWATEA. The ships sailed from Vancouver on Oct 27th and arrived in Hong Kong on November 16th, having made brief stops enroute at Honolulu and Manila.
Equipment earmarked for 'C' Force use was loaded on the ship DON JOSE, but would never reach Hong Kong as it was rerouted to Manila when hostilities commenced.
On arrival, all troops were quartered at Nanking Barracks, Sham Shui Po Camp, in Kowloon.
Battle Information
We do not have specific battle information for this soldier in our online database. For a detailed description of the battle from a Canadian perspective, visit Canadian Participation in the Defense of Hong Kong (published by the Historical Section, Canadian Military Headquarters).
Wounded Information
No wounds recorded.Hospital Information
No record of hospital visits found.POW Camps
| Camp ID | Camp Name | Location | Company | Type of Work | Arrival Date | Departure Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HK-NP-01 | North Point | North Point, Hong Kong Island | 41 Dec 20 | 41 Dec 22 | ||
| HK-AS-01 | Argyle Street | Kowloon, Hong Kong | 41 Dec 22 | Dec 26 | ||
| HK-SA-01 | Shamshuipo | Kowloon, Hong Kong | Capture | 42 Jan 22 | ||
| HK-NP-02 | North Point | North Point, Hong Kong Island | 42 Jan 22 | 42 Sep 26 | ||
| HK-SA-02 | Shamshuipo | Kowloon, Hong Kong | 42 Sep 26 | 43 Jan 19 | ||
| JP-To-3D | Tsurumi | Yokohama-shi, Tsurumi-ku, Suyehiro-cho, 1-chome, Japan | Nippon Steel Tube - Tsurumi Shipyards | Variety of jobs related to ship building | 43 Jan 19 | 45 Apr 16 |
| JP-Se-4B | Ohashi | Iwate-ken, Kamihei-gun, Katsushi-mura, Ohashi, Japan | Nippon Steel Company | 45 Apr 16 | 45 Sep 15 |
Transport to Japan
| Draft Number | Name of Ship | Departure Date | Arrival Date | Arrival Port | Comments | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XD3A | Tatuta Maru | 43 Jan 19, left Shamsuipo Camp, 0500 hrs; left Hong Kong 1300hrs | 43 Jan 22, 0400 hrs | Nagasaki, Japan | Boarded train, arrived in Tokyo on 43 Jan 24 at 0700 hrs, boarded electric train for 10 mile ride to camp | Tony Banham |
Transportation SE Asia to Home
| Transport Mode | Arrival Destination | Arrival Date | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| USS Rescue | SF | a US hospital ship |
No other or additional related information found. Please submit documents to us using the contact link at the top of this page.
Post-war Photo
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Other Military or Public Service
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Death and Cemetery Information
| Date of Death (y-m-d) | Cause of Death | Death Class | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980-00-00 | Post War | ||
| Cemetery Location | Cemetery | Grave Number | Gravestone Marker |
| Marathon Ontario Canada | Marathon Public Cemetery | Plot 601 | |
Gravestone Image
No other or additional related information found. Please submit documents to us using the contact link at the top of this page.
Obituary / Life Story
Hartley Winram (Buzz), Richard Currie (Dick), Edwin Currie Submitted by Pat Winram
I am going to combine the information on these three as they were not only brothers by family, but by the horrific memories of P.O.W. camps. Buzz Winram was born to Asenath and James Winram, the youngest of eight children. In 1930 he married Etta Currie and they moved to Neelin to start a small store and lunch counter. In 1935, they started a mail contract delivering the mail to Cartwright and bringing it back. In 1937 they were blessed with twins, Patricia and William. William died two days later.
In 1939 Buzz, along with Etta's brothers Dick and Ed Currie, joined the Winnipeg Grenadiers. They spent 16 months in Jamaica before they were sent to Hong Kong, where they suffered four years of torture and starvation. Etta carried on with the business until Buzz returned.
All three returned from Hong Kong but their health was never good. Buzz was very active in the Legion and tirelessly enjoyed helping veterans get medical care or pensions. He was District Commander for 10 years, then Honorary President for a number of years. He received the Legion Order of Merit.
Buzz and Etta moved to Carberry when they retired from the post office to be close to daughter Pat and her three children, Terry, Mark, and Tracy.
Buzz died in 1977 after suffering tremendous health problems from his prison years. Buzz was buried in Pilot Mound which was always home to him. Over 500 people attended his funeral. It was very special for Buzz's family, and especially his grandchildren, to see so many veterans come to honour their grandfather.
Richard Currie (Dick) was born to Angus and Barbara Currie. The Curries were enthusiastic participants in all the Goudney School activities, especially sports. Dick married Stella Kelly in 1934 and operated a shoe repair business in Pilot Mound until he enlisted in 1939 with the Winnipeg Grenadiers. Dick and Buzz were together when they were first taken prisoners, but were separated in different camps toward the end.
When Dick returned to civilian life, he started a shoe repair shop in Sioux Lookout, Ontario. Dick did not have any children of his own, but he was a favorite uncle of his nieces and nephews and their children. Dick returned each year to spend Christmas with his mother and after her death, continued to come to Neelin so he could be with Buzz and his family. Etta always said that Dick and Buzz fought the battle of Hong Kong every Christmas all over again. Dick had very bad health in his later years and died at Sioux Lookout, Ontario. The family, however, brought him home to be with his comrades.
Edwin Currie was the youngest of the Angus and Barbara Currie family. He loved sports and was an active participant. He just turned of age so he joined the Grenadiers with Dick and Buzz. They always teased him about being the baby of the Grenadiers in 1939. He served in Jamaica with them and was taken prisoner in Hong Kong with them. However, he was sent to a different camp and was separated from them during their captivity.
After the war he worked for a time at Souris, where he married Ena McRae in 1948. They then moved to Marathon, Ontario. He was a very supportive father to his daughter Cheryl and sons James and John. Ed curled in the Ontario provincial playoffs while living in Marathon. He died in Marathon relatively young. At his funeral, the whole community came to bid goodbye. He was a friend to all he knew, and those that knew him.
Pilot Mound Sentinel, date unknown
Links and Other Resources
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Related documentation
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General Comments
’C’ Force Family Connections:
- Brother to H6262 Richard Currie
End of Report.
Report generated: 27 Apr 2025.
Additional Notes
(These will not be visible on the printed copy)
- Service numbers for officers ("X") are locally generated for reporting only. During World War II officers were not allocated service numbers until 1945.
- 'C' Force soldiers who died overseas are memorialized in the Books of Remembrance and the Canadian Virtual War Memorial, both sponsored by Veterans Affairs Canada. Please use the search utility at VAC to assist you.
- Some birthdates and deathdates display as follows: 1918-00-00. In general, this indicates that we know the year but not the month or day.
- Our POW camp links along with our References link (near the bottom of the 'C' Force home page) are designed to give you a starting point for your research. There were many camps with many name changes. The best resource for all POW camps in Japan is the Roger Mansell Center for Research site.
- In most cases the rank displayed was the rank held before hostilities. Some veterans were promoted at some point prior to eventual post-war release from the army back in Canada. When notified of these changes we'll update the individual's record.
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