Sunday 24 October 2021

Woodstock - South African War

 

Location:  Oxford County     N 43.13158   W -80.76005

In front of the Oxford County Courthouse, 415 Hunter Street.

 

This memorial was erected by the people of the City of Woodstock and the County of Oxford. This monument was erected in memory of Oxford Rifles members who enlisted and took part in the South African Boer War (1899 - 1902). Colour Sergeant G. W. Leonard fell in battle in May 1901, while Corporal M. Davidson died of enteric fever in May 1902, while serving with the South African Constabulary. The monument bust of Colour Sergeant Leonard stands before the Court House, but was erected in memory of both men, and was unveiled on May 24, 1904. The two cannons on the Court House lawn are over one hundred and fifty years old. Requested by County Council and through the efforts of Hon. James Sutherland, the then federal member of Parliament for Oxford, they were obtained and erected in September, 1900. Dates of 1842 and 1843 are inscribed on the barrels of these muzzle-loading cannons.   *The above is taken from www.veterans.gc.ca.

Sadly, I have no photos of the back of the memorial due to the beautiful landscaping at the rear of the memorial. 


Marker text:

Front:

COLOUR-SERGEANT GEORGE W. LEONARD
22ND. REG. (THE OXFORD RIFLES)
A PRIVATE IN THE 2ND. (S.S.) BATT.
R.C.R. WHO DIED MAY 11TH OF WOUNDS
RECEIVED AT ZAND RIVER, SOUTH AFRICA
ON MAY 10TH 1901.

THIS MEMORIAL WAS ERECTED BY THE
PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF WOODSTOCK
AND THE COUNTY OF OXFORD. 

 

Back:

CORPORAL MYRTLE DAVIDSON
SOUTH AFRICAN CONSTABULARY
A FORMER MEMBER OF THE 22ND. REG.
(THE OXFORD RIFLES) DIED OF ENTERIC
FEVER IN SOUTH AFRICA ON THE 9TH
DAY OF FEB. 1902.

THIS INSCRIPTION IS ENGRAVED TO
COMMEMORATE HIS SERVICES TO HIS
COUNTRY. 

 




 



Saturday 16 October 2021

Wellington

 

Location:  Prince Edward County     N 43.95176   W -77.34783

On the south side of Main Street (County Road 33), at the entrance to Wellington Park.

This memorial was erected in 1930 by the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 160.  It was re-dedicated in 1986 with a new plaque.  The memorial acts as the entrance to Wellington Park, which grants public access to the shore of Lake Ontario.  The Wellington Cenotaph is composed of two stone wing walls with benches, each leading to a pillar. On top of both pillars are three wooden rifles arranged in a tripod configuration and topped by a First World War era British helmet.

 

 

 

 

Marker text:

Left pillar:

POST 160

(old Legion crest)

WELLINGTON 

1930

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Right pillar:

LEST WE FORGET

WORLD WAR I     1914-1918

WORLD WAR II    1939-1945

KOREA                   1950-1953 

AFGHANISTAN

 

 





Saturday 9 October 2021

St. Catharines - Watson Monument

 

 

Location:  Niagara Region     N 43.15973   W -79.24697

On the front lawn of the City Hall, corner of James and Church Streets.

 

This memorial is very controversial at the current time and situation that we find ourselves in.  I will give a link for you to read more of this intolerable situation for which all of St. Catharines should be ashamed.  Local government and "community stakeholders" would like to have this monument removed for reasons that are beyond comprehension.  Read more here:  https://www.iheartradio.ca/610cktb/news/future-of-private-watson-statue-still-unknown-1.16211354?fbclid=IwAR2w_O4DXPVv-OOYvL5nDJ78ajsMYpc5LLKzN1sD-_VsxAwyvoFdWN8b1W8

Now onto the memorial itself and the reason for why it was erected at the time.   The following is taken from the Veterans Canada website:

"The Watson Monument was erected by the people of St. Catharines in 1886 to the memory of Private Alexander Watson, XC Winnipeg Battalion Riffles, Canadian Volunteers, and his companions in arms, who fell in battle during the Riel Rebellion in the Northwest Territories, A.D., 1885.

The monument was erected by the people of St. Catharines, where Watson and his family were long resident and highly esteemed. It stands on the City Hall green, is about fifteen feet high, and consists of a soldier, in full uniform, of the 90th Winnipeg Riffles, standing on a pedestal, each face of which is adorned with trophies. It was built by James Munro's Marble and Granite Works of St. Catharines, Ontario.

From the Thorold Post, Friday, August 13, 1886:

Watson Monument - City Council has a special meeting and granted permission to the Watson Monument Memorial Committee to place the monument on the grounds in front of the City Buildings. The original intention was to have it in the cemetery.

From the Thorold Post, Friday, September 17, 1886:

Unveiling of the Watson monument was Tuesday afternoon between 3 and 4 p.m., largest crowd ever seen in one city, (were on the fences, etc.) hundreds were there.

From the Thorold Post, Friday, September 17, 1886:

Watson monument was unveiled "last Tuesday". The article says it represents a Canadian volunteer in the "at ease" position. The deed was handed over to Mayor King from the Monument Committee. Major General F.D. Middleton, C.B., unveiled the statue.

Note: The Thorold Post, Friday, August 13th, 1886 edition supplies additional details about the location. From the North West Rebellion, C.P. Mulvaney, M.A.: Private Watson Private Alexander Watson, F.Co., 90th (Winnipeg) Battalion, who was wounded on the last day of the fight at Batoche, and died the following Saturday, was born in Toronto in 1858, but lived in St. Catharines the greater part of his life till about four years before the rebellion, when he moved to Winnipeg. While in Winnipeg he was in the employ of a contractor and builder, he having been brought up to that business in St. Catharines. He was the eldest son, but had an elder sister. Personally he was a generous, kind-hearted young man and a great favourite with everyone. He was unmarried, but was shortly to have led to the altar a very estimable young lady of Winnipeg."

 

 

 

Market text:

Front:

ERECTED TO THE MEMORY OF

PRIVATE ALEXANDER WATSON

90TH WINNIPEG BATT. RIFLES 

CANADIAN VOLUNTEERS,

AND HIS COMPANIONS IN ARMS,

WHO FELL IN BATTLE DURING

THE REBELLION OF THE N.W.T.

A.D. 1885

 

'Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori."

LT.-COL. A.T.H. WILLIAMS

BATTLEFIELD RIFLES, N.W.M. POLICE

CORP. W.H.T. LOWRY

R.B. SLEISH     CONST. P. BURKE

 

 


Right side:

BOULTON'S SCOUTS

Capt. E.L. Brown, J. French, Intelligence Corps.,

AT DUCK LAKE, FISH CREEK, CUT KNIFE, BATOCHE;

 

W. Cook, W. Phillips, C.Co., I.S.C.;

 

Private J. Watson, Bugler H. Foulkes, G.G.F. Guards;

 

Private J. Rogers, Private Osgood,

10th ROYAL GRENADIERS;

 

Lieut. W. Fitch,  Private T. Moore,

90th BATTL'N RIFLES;


Lieut. C. Swinford, Corp. J. Code,

Private A.W. Ferguson, J. Hutchinson,

W. Ennis, R.R. Hardisty, J. Fraser, G. Wheeler,

Private T.H. Damanolley, Lieut. A.W. Keppen.

 

 

 

 

Left side:

Major Henry M. Arnold,

90th WINNIPEG RIFLES,

CAPT. 2nd SPECIAL SERVICE BATTALION, R.C.R.I.,

died Feb. 23rd. 1900, from wounds received in action at

Paardburg Drift, South Africa, Feb. 18th. 1900.

 

Lieut, J. Edgar Burch,

ADJT. 2nd DRAGOONS, attached to  1st BATTALION C.M.R.,

on special duty, killed in action near Pretoria,

South Africa, July 16th. 1900.


Private Archibald Radcliffe,

1st. BATTALION C.M.R., 2d TROOP, A. SQUADRON,

FIELD FORCE, SOUTH AFRICA,

killed near Belfast, S.A., Sept. 23rd. 1900.


Corp. Robert Irwin,

19th ST. CATHARINES REGIMENT,

wounded at Houtuck, South Africa, May 1st. 1900,

died in Bloemfontein, S.A., July 1st. 1900.









 

 

 


Sunday 3 October 2021

Deep River

 

Location: Renfrew County

GPS: N 46.100757 - W 77.487829

 

This cenotaph is situated in front of The Corporation of the Town of Deep River (town hall) at 100 Deep River Rd.

 

When passing in front, seeing this modern style sculpture, you would never guess that this would be a cenotaph, until you get closer and see the sword engraved on it. And getting closer seeing the inscription and reading it.

 

This cenotaph was dedicated around 1990 about the same time the building was built. Every year there is a ceremony on Remembrance Day. It is dedicated to all our soldiers of all wars.

 

On the shaft of the sculpture there is a sword pointed down nicely decorated by a maple leaf. In front of the shaft, on the right there is a triangular shape sculpture with an inscription on it.

 

*Thanks to Louise Bellec for the photos and description.

 

Inscription:    THIS SHAFT WE RAISE TO THEM AND THEE