Merrickville cenotaph, seen from Vimy oak 
Merrickville cenotaph, in loving memory of those who served and died, 1914–1918
A second pandemic summer, with restrictions lifting but not entirely removed, is my excuse to visit the many war memorials close to home. The next few weeks will feature monuments in Eastern Ontario.
Merrickville men who served overseas 
Merrickville men who served overseas
A stone cairn in Cenotaph Park at 400 St Lawrence St (corner Drummond St E) in Merrickville, Ontario is dedicated “in loving memory of those who served and died, 1914-1918,” with an adapted verse from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Concord Hymn
Spirit that made these Heroes dare
To die or leave their children free,
Bid time and Nature gently spare
The Cairn we raise to them and thee.
The Honour Roll lists 24 men of the community who were killed in action: Lieut S.B. Tallman, Captain H. Cranstoun, Privates G.R. Angus, E. Bush, G. Bigham, J. Clinton, J. Drennan, W. Driscoll, Rev. W.G. Davis, T. Elliott, W. Fitzgerald, D. Forbes, P.J. Foster, L. Geraldi, T. Irvin, H. Knowles, W. Knowles , A. Lee, M Miskelly, A. McLean, J. McWilliams, J.R. McWilliams, H. Rose, D. Roach, R. Telford, W.L. Watt, R.N. Watt and R. Watts.
Panels on either side of the cairn list those who served overseas: Lt Col T.C. Bedell, Major W. Elliott, Captains A.M. Bell, E.J. Kyle, H.R. Merrick and R. Benn; Lieut W.J. Carnwith, MM and C. Jakes, Sergt H.E. Boyd, MM, S.E. Burchill, A.M. Watchorn and L.W. Miskelly, Corpl R. Bolton, B. Wilson and S.A. Mills, L Corpl C.L. Watt, Privates A. Arnott, H.H. Boyd, Wm Boyd, A. Burchill, J.S. Burchill, N. Brouse, W. Carley, E. Carley, J. Carnwith, M. Cummings, J. Craig, G. Cranstoun, F. Carr MM, J. Cummings, G.L. Davis, R.A. Derrick, W. Devitt, Wm. Devitt, W. Easton, L. Eagley, A. Eagley, L. Evoy, F. Easton, J.H. Errett, E. Errett, S.R. Fitzgerald, B. Gardiner, R.C. Harrison, C. Hogan, A. Hunt, J. Hutton, A. Johnston, J. Johnston, D. Kanard, D.J. Lee, J. Maxwell, J. McGuire, D. McIntyre, F.A. Newman, F.S. Newman, P. Paul, R.N. Paul, H. Phillips, W.E. Phillips, H. Plummer, H. Roach, G. Read, P. Rose, C. Sunderland, J. Scott, A. Smith, M. Smith, A. Splane, A. Stewart, M. Vanstochen, H. Walsh, W. Ward, J. Watson, S.A. Watt, B. Webster, J. Williams, W.A. Wilson and R.N. Owens.
A Vimy oak – descending from acorns gathered after the Battle of Vimy Ridge in April 1917 – was planted in the park on 13 May 1917. A plaque by the tree notes that three soldiers from Merrickville died in that battle: Private Thomas John Irvine and brothers Lance Corporal William Graham Knowles and Private Hugh Lloyd Knowles.
Learn more about the Merrickville men killed in action at Merrickville’s Heroes of WWI.
Great War 100 Reads 