Robert Shankland (10 October 1887 – 20 January 1968) was a

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to

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and

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forces.

Early life

Born in Ayr,

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

, on 10 October 1887, Robert Shankland was the son of a railroad guard, and his first job was that of a clerk in the stationmaster's office. He moved to Canada in 1910 where he worked as assistant cashier for the Crescent Creamery Company in Winnipeg. When

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

broke out he joined the 43rd Battalion (Cameron Highlanders of Canada) CEF as a private.

Victoria Cross

Awarded the

Distinguished Conduct Medal The Distinguished Conduct Medal was a decoration established in 1854 by Queen Victoria for gallantry in the field by Other ranks (UK), other ranks of the British Army. It is the oldest British award for gallantry and was a second level military ...

for his actions at Sanctuary Wood in 1916 as a Sergeant (in charge of a stretcher bearer party), Shankland received a battlefield commission later that year and continued to serve with the 43rd Bn as an officer. On the morning of 26 October, he led his platoon of 40 men from D Company (D Company commanded by Capt. Galt) to the crest of the hill at the Bellevue Spur, the main trench line defending the approach to Passchendaele. Overrunning it and holding the position was critical to capturing the town. Early in the advance, B Company captured and held the Spur. On the right, the 58th Bn, which was under heavy fire from Snipe Hill, was forced to retire after failing to reach its objective. Some of the men joined Shankland's platoon, but this still left his right flank open. For four hours they withstood incessant artillery shelling and German counterattacks, sustaining frightful casualties. By this time the 8th Brigade on the left was forced to withdraw leaving both of Shankland's flanks exposed. He and his men were in danger of being cut off and losing the vital position gained at such fearful cost. The only solution was to bring up reinforcements and counterattack. Shankland turned over his command to another officer and then weaved his way through heavy mud and German shelling to battalion headquarters where he gave a first-hand report of the situation. He also offered a detailed plan on how a counterattack with reinforcements could best be achieved. He then returned to his men to lead the forthcoming attack supported by reinforcements from the 52nd and 58th battalions. For his actions that day Robert Shankland was awarded the Victoria Cross. His citation reads:

Later life

Following the war, Shankland stayed in the

Canadian Militia The Canadian Militia is a historical title for military units raised for the defence of Canada. The term has been used to describe sedentary militia units raised from local communities in Canada; as well as the regular army for the Province of Ca ...

with the Cameron Highlanders and in his civilian work served as secretary-manager for several Winnipeg firms. He eventually moved to Victoria and joined the Canadian Scottish Regiment. When the Second World War started, he returned to Winnipeg and rejoined the Camerons. Now a Major, he went overseas with the battalion as Officer Commanding Headquarters Company. Due to his age (53) he was too old for combat duty. Promoted to lieutenant colonel, Shankland was appointed camp commandant of the Canadian Army Detention Barracks in England in December 1940. According to the May/June 2005 issue of the Legion Magazine, "in 1946, Shankland took his discharge and became secretary of a leading securities firm in Vancouver. He died 20 January 1968, at Shaughnessy, Vancouver, and his body was cremated and his ashes (allegedly) scattered in the grounds of Vancouver's Mountain View Cemetery."

Legacy

Frederick William Hall, Leo Clarke, and Robert Shankland all lived on Pine Street in

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...

Manitoba Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...

, Canada. It is believed to be the only street in the world to have three Victoria Cross recipients who lived there. The city later renamed it '' Valour Road'' in their honour. A bronze plaque is mounted on a street lamp at the corner of Portage Ave and Valour Road to tell this story.No records exist to confirm that his cremated remains were scattered on the cemetery - only that he was cremated at the crematorium on site

The medal

The medal was on public display at the

Manitoba Museum The Manitoba Museum, previously the Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature, is a human and natural history museum in Winnipeg, Manitoba, as well as the province's largest, Not-for-Profit, not-for-profit centre for Heritage centre, heritage and science e ...

commencing 6 August 2014, on loan from the

Canadian War Museum The Canadian War Museum (CWM) () is a National museums of Canada, national museum on the military history of Canada, country's military history in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The museum serves as both an educational facility on Canadian military hist ...

as part of a display celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada. Shankland's battledress blouse with ribbons and his miniatures are on display in The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada Museum at Minto Armoury in Winnipeg. The medal was placed on auction on 25 May 2009. Despite public outrage of its sale from an anonymous seller, controversy was averted when the

purchased the medal at auction for $240,000 in order to keep it in Canadian public hands forever.

References

External links

Robert Shankland's digitized service file

Legion Magazine Article on Robert Shankland

CBC: Victoria Cross sold at auction

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shankland, Robert 1887 births 1968 deaths Canadian World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross Military personnel from Winnipeg Canadian recipients of the Distinguished Conduct Medal People from Ayr Scottish emigrants to Canada Canadian military personnel of World War I Canadian Expeditionary Force officers Canadian Militia officers Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada Canadian Army officers Canadian Army personnel of World War II Burials at Mountain View Cemetery (Vancouver) Military personnel from South Ayrshire