Monday Monuments and Memorials – War Memorial, Kemptville, ON

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  Kemptville, Ontario war memorial

Another week of war memorials close to home in Eastern Ontario.

A statue of a young soldier stands atop the war memorial in Kemptville, Ontario, on the front lawn of the former North Grenville District High School at 304 Prescott Street (County Road 44).

The monument was originally erected in 1922, up the street beside the post office then at the corner of Prescott and Reuben Streets. Sponsors were the local Women’s Institute and the municipal councils of Kemptville, Oxford Township and South Gower Township. It was unveiled on 3 June 1922, in a ceremony planned by the Great War Veterans Association.

Monday Monuments and Memorials – Remember Flanders, John McCrae, Guelph, ON

 

McCrae statue in front of Guelph Civic Museum

McCrae statue in his birthplace of Guelph, Ontario

Remember Flanders, Ruth Abernethy, 2015

John McCrae wrote In Flanders Field in May 1915, inspired by the death of his friend Alexis Helmer. The poem was first published in December 1915. Since then, the poem and its symbolic poppies have become iconic remembrances of sacrifice in war.

Monday Monuments and Memorials – Memorial Screen, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON

University of Toronto – WW1 Memorial Screen

End arches of University of Toronto Memorial Screen

Arches of University of Toronto Memorial Screen

Each day, hundreds of people walk past the Memorial Screen in an arcade west of the Soldiers’ Tower on the University of Toronto’s downtown campus. Those pausing to look see the names, ranks and units of 628 university alumni, faculty, staff and students killed in WW1 – carved in limestone.

Monday Monuments and Memorials – Lisgar Collegiate Institute, Ottawa

Remembering over 130 former Lisgar students who died in WW1

Alexis Hannum Helmer inspired In Flanders Fields

Memorial tympanum over Lisgar library entrance

Honouring over 900 former Lisgar CI students who served in WW1

Lisgar Collegiate Institute has a history in Ottawa longer than Canada itself: founded in 1843, it just celebrated its 175^th anniversary. Students entering the main doors of the school at 29 Lisgar St cannot help but turn their minds to WW1. In Memorial Hall they are surrounded by reminders of alumni and alumnae who served in the war.

Monday Monuments and Memorials – Poppies Redux

Knitted, crocheted and felted poppies, mostly on the Western Front

Mass-produced poppies are major fundraisers for the British and Canadian Legions, who fervently guard registered trademarks. I much prefer hand-made commemorative poppies – knitted, crocheted, beaded or felted. These seem to be more popular in Australia and New Zealand, where online patterns abound. Look, for example, at the 5000 Poppies campaign in Australia. Amazing!

Monday Monuments and Memorials – John McCrae House, Guelph, ON

McCrae House, Guelph, Ontario

Monument to McCrae in McCrae House garden, Guelph

John McCrae’s grave in Wimereux Communal Cemetery, France

Yesterday, 28 January 2018, was the 100^th anniversary of John McCrae’s death. Best known for his poem, In Flanders Fields, McCrae was a physician and a soldier.

McCrae was born and raised in a limestone cottage at 108 Water St in Guelph. The home has been restored as the McCrae House museum. A monument in the garden is dedicated to his memory. Ontario Heritage plaques mark McCrae’s birthplace and final resting place.

Monday Monuments and Memorials – Poppies

Mass manufactured poppies from here and there

In Flanders fields the poppies grow …

Inspired by John McCrae’s poem, poppies are a common sign of remembrance.

Monday Monuments and Memorials – Lt Col George Harold Baker, MP and Morning Glory

George Harold Baker, Centre Block, Ottawa

George Harold Baker, Poperinghe New Military Cemetery, Belgium

Morning Glory, Eastern Townships, Quebec

While at least 50 members of the Canadian House of Commons enlisted in WW1, few saw active duty at the front. Only one was killed in action.

George Harold Baker – Harry to his friends – was born into a prominent family of United Empire Loyalists. He followed his father into law and then into politics, elected Member of Parliament for the riding of Brome, Quebec in 1911. He was also active in the local militia, so he was quick to volunteer for active service in WW1. He was killed in action on June 2, 1916 at Sanctuary Wood during the Battle of Mount Sorrel.

The War Diary of Clare Gass

A fine day in spots only. My ward is filled & I am very busy but enjoy my work if it were only possible to forget its cause. (March 2, 1916, p 106)

The dominant memory of WW1 is that of men. Soldiers were, after all, the vast majority on the front lines. But as Susan Mann points out in her introduction to The War Diary of Clare Gass, 1915-1918, wounded soldiers were accompanied and cared for by nurses at every stage of their journey through the military medical system except at the very first points closest to the front lines.

Monday Monuments and Memorials – Calgary Soldiers’ Memorial, Calgary, AB

Calgary Soldiers’ Memorial: We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow

Calgary Soldiers Memorial, inspired by CWGC gravestones

Calgary Soldiers Memorial lists 3,000 names from Calgary Army Reserve Regiments.

Bench overlooking Calgary Soldiers Memorial: We will remember them

The Calgary Soldiers’ Memorial stands in the park that runs between Memorial Drive and the Bow River, east of Poppy Plaza between 10 St NW and 14 St NW. It forms part of the Landscape of Memory park project along Memorial Drive.