During the Second World War, men and women from across the globe enlisted in the military together to fight for their countries. At the time, it was common to see friends and family members from the same neighbourhood enlist together.

A group of enlistees from Selkirk, Manitoba were a little bit different.

Dubbed ‘The Dufferin Gang’, 31 men and women who lived on Dufferin Avenue in Selkirk all enlisted to fight in the Second World War together. The loyalty and the pride of country shown by this remarkable group of men and women illustrated Selkirk’s dedication and courage in time of war.

Though The Dufferin Gang is considered to be the highest concentration of enlistees from a single street, military historian Ted Barris says in a Winnipeg Free Press article that it’s not yet confirmed. However, Barris hasn’t heard of anything close to that enlistment rate before.

Dufferin Avenue is still a well-populated street in Selkirk today. To honour the men and women of The Dufferin Gang, a mural was painted on the corner of Dufferin Avenue and Main Street listing the names of all known members. A monument is also on the grounds of the Selkirk Legion at the corner of Morris Ave and Eveline St.