More than a century ago, George Hincks and Marshall McDougall devised an extraordinary plan when they met in a Calgary military hospital. In 1923, both men, who had lost a leg during the First World War, decided to challenge societal perceptions by embarking on a crutch-assisted hike from Alberta to Ontario.
Their remarkable journey, undertaken nearly six decades before Terry Fox’s iconic Marathon of Hope, had largely faded from historical memory until historian Eric Story uncovered their story in an old military magazine. Story described their feat as remarkable, considering the challenges they faced with the prosthetic and crutch technologies available at the time.
Calgary resident Lauren McDougall, Marshall McDougall’s great-grandniece, discovered this forgotten history while researching her family tree. She expressed excitement at the revelation of this buried past and highlighted her great-granduncle’s positive energy and sense of humor.
The duo’s trek, chronicled in newspapers from that era, occurred during a pivotal time in Canadian society’s shift to industrial capitalism. Hincks and McDougall aimed to challenge the prevailing notion that individuals with disabilities were deemed inefficient in the workforce, showcasing their resilience and determination throughout the arduous journey.
Although initially planning to walk from Calgary to Ottawa, the pair had to halt their expedition in Thunder Bay due to physical strain. Despite enduring immense pain and suffering, their efforts were instrumental in shaping attitudes towards disability rights long before the recognized era of such advocacy in Canada.
Members of the Amputations Association of the Great War, a precursor to the War Amps charity, both soldiers exemplified the courage and determination characteristic of veteran amputees. Their legacy continues to inspire awareness and understanding of life as an amputee, resonating with contemporary conversations on biases and mindsets that persist even a century later.
