Woodbridge

 
 

Location:  City of Vaughan, York Region  
N 43° 46.948 W 079° 35.620
80 Wallace Street, Woodbridge

The Woodbridge War Memorial Tower was constructed in 1924 by volunteer members of the community in honour of the supreme sacrifice made by the 26 men from the Woodbridge area killed in the First World War.  The tower was unveiled by Colonel Harry Cockshutt, the Lieut-Governor of Ontario.
The site is designed in four stepped levels: the highest level is occupied by the tower and a pair of German field guns.  The third level also hosts an artillery piece, along with the flagpoles and an area for wreaths and remembrance.  The base level consists of a stone gateway and staircase, featuring an engraved marker and two plaques added later, one to commemorate Canada's 1967 Centennial Year, and the other erected by the politicians of the City of Vaughan in 1996 to congratulate themselves for agreeing to spend the funds to updated and landscape the park, something which they should be continually doing in any case.

This is one of the more impressive and beautiful Memorial parks I have visited.  A true testament to the sacrifice of those who fought for our freedom.

Other links with more details of this site can be found at the following links:
https://www.cdli.ca/monuments/on/woodbrdg.htm
http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/nic-inm/sm-rm/mdsr-rdr-eng.asp?PID=5484
 

Marker text:
Lower level:
Front:
THIS MONUMENT IS
DEDICATED TO THOSE FROM
THE COMMUNITY OF WOODBRIDGE
WHO SERVED OUR COUNTRY.
ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO MADE
THE SUPREME SACRIFICE
 

Back:
THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD
AS WE THAT ARE LEFT GROW OLD

AGE SHALL NOT WEARY THEM
NOR THE YEARS CONDEMN

AND AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN
AND IN THE MORNING
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM
 

Tower:
Front Plaque:
IN HONOUR OF
THE MEN OF THIS COMMUNITY
WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES
FOR KING AND COUNTRY IN
1914-  THE GREAT WAR  -1918

FRANK BIRCH  127th.BN.
JAMES BORLAND  127th.BN.
FRED EVANS  226th.BN.
NORMAN FLEMING  P.P.C.L.I.
GEORGE GRUMBLE   127th.BN.
H.S. HARRIS  220th.BN.
RICHARD HARRISON  1st. C.M.R.
WM. HASLAM  4th C.M.R.
D.R. MACKENZIE   127th.BN.
BEATON McGILLIVRAY  P.P.C.L.I.
PERCY McKAY  2nd C.M.R.
HERBERT MILLER  14th.BN.
STANLEY ROBB  4th C.M.R.

EDWARD MORGAN  4th C.M.R.
JOHN MORGAN  C.F.A.
ROBERT RAYSIDE  3rd.BN.
ERNEST SMITH   127th.BN.
ROY TAVERNER  3rd.BN.
REX TINKES  C.F.A.
STANLEY WARREL  42nd.BN.
ROY WARREN  126th.BN.
CHRISTOPHER WATT  M.T.
JOHN WILSON  4th C.M.R.
DAVID WITHERSPOON  5th C.M.R.
WALLACE WOOD, LT.  4th.BN.
J.A. WRIGHT  123rd.BN.
 

Rear:
THIS TOWER
WAS UNVEILED BY
HIS HONOR
COL. HARRY COCKSHUTT
LIEUT. GOV. PROVINCE
OF ONTARIO
NOV. 16, 1924