Clendenning Creek was adopted 6 September 1951 on 92J. Spelling changed to Clendinning Creek 19 September 1990 on 92J/5 - the correct spelling of the family name as verified by Personnel Records Division, National Archives of Canada, September 1990.

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

Named to remember Canadian Army Sergeant William Henry Clendinning, MM, K37627, from Trail; serving with the 28th Armoured Regiment, British Columbia Regiment, RCAC, when he died of wounds 14 September 1944, age 35. Buried in Adegem Canadian War Cemetery, Maldegem, Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium; grave X. A. 4. Sgt. Clendinning was survived by his wife Josephine and their 3-year old son, in Trail, and by his father Andrew Clendinning, in Northern Ireland.

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

Born in Belfast Ireland in 1909; came to Canada 1926; employed by the Duncan Dairy until 1934; employed by CM&S Co. at the Trail smelter until 1940; enlisted at Vancouver 1940; embarked overseas in February 1942. Posthumously awarded the Military Medal for bravery, with the following citation: "During the advance of Falaise, Sgt. Clendinning's tank was one of the many of his regiment's which was knocked out and set on fire by enemy anti-tank guns. In spite of heavy shelling and mortar fire, Sgt. Clendinning immediately re-organized his own crew and that of another tank, ordered to dig in and, with salvaged weapons, during the day repelled several enemy attacks... After dark he led the group through two miles of enemy infested country to his own lines." Clendinning had been hit by a shell in the initial attack, and subsequently died of his wounds. (excerpts from Trail Daily Times, 1944, and 28 May 1949.)

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office