Cecil John Kinross VC (17 February 1896 – 21 June 1957) was a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) 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 ...

soldier in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. Kinross was a recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

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

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

and Commonwealth forces. He was only nineteen when it was awarded to him, making him the second youngest Victoria cross recipient ever.

Early life

Kinross was born on 17 February 1896 at Dews Farm, Harefield, Middlesex. His father's family originated in Perthshire. He moved to

Lougheed, Alberta Lougheed is a village in central Alberta, Canada. It is located 94 km south-east of Camrose, along Highway 13. Demographics In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Village of Lougheed had a population of 225 ...

with his parents and siblings in 1912.

Military career

Kinross was inducted voluntarily into the army at Calgary, Alberta, October 21, 1915 as a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

in the 49th (Edmonton) Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force. On 30 October 1917, at the Battle of Passchendaele during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, Kinross performed an act of bravery for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross. Kinross was wounded in the arm and head in 1917 and hospitalised at

Orpington Orpington is a town and area in south east London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley. It is 13.4 miles (21.6 km) south east of Charing Cross. On the south-eastern edge of the Greater London Built-up Area, it is south of St Ma ...

, England. He was subsequently presented with the Victoria Cross by King George V in March 1918. Kinross 2

Later life

Kinross returned to Alberta after the war and was given a plot of land in Lougheed, He never married and he died at the Lougheed Hotel in Lougheed, Alberta on 21 June 1957, and is buried in the Soldier's Plot in the Lougheed Cemetery, Lougheed, Alberta, Canada.

Legacy

Mount Kinross, 2560m, 24 km NW of Jasper, Alberta, in the Victoria Cross Ranges in the Jasper National Park, was named after him in 1951. His Victoria Cross medal is held by his family while the miniature is on display at The Loyal Edmonton Regiment Military Museum in

Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city ancho ...

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...

References

External links