November 6: Stonewall's Alan McLeod V.C. dies; CKY's Ray Torgrud; Millennium Centre saved.

November 6, 1917 - Canadian troops capture Belgium’s Passchendaele Ridge after a three month battle. In all, 15,654 Canadians were killed or wounded. For a CBC radio doc.

 

November 6, 1918 - Stonewall's Alan Arnott McLeod dies of influenza.

During a dogfight he was shot five times, his aviator rendered unconscious and his plane was going down. Rather than bail out, he chose to crash land the plane while standing on the wing. The two men survived and McLeod earned the Victoria Cross for his actions. 

It was while recovering from his wounds back in Stonewall that he contracted Spanish Influenza and died just five days before Armistice Day. He was 19 years old.

For more, see my West End Dumplings post.

November 6, 2010 - Manitoba television personality Ray Torgrud dies. He was an original 1960 staff member of CJAY (CKY) television and best known as the host of Today's World. He retired in 1992.

November 6, 1979 - After a long and bitter battle, Winnipeg city council agrees to protect the Bank of Commerce (Millennium Centre) and Bank of Hamilton buildings from their slated demolition. The fight to save them buildings was the seed for Winnipeg's historic preservation movement. (Also see.)