Selkirk

 

Location:  Haldimand County     N 42.83325   W -79.93432

At the entrance to Selkirk Park, 17 Main Street West.

The small rural community of Selkirk is located two kilometres north of Lake Erie.  A quiet village during the week, but very busy on weekends.  The memorial found here is located on the entrance gates of the town park.  The two pillars that form the gates each have two plaques that tell the story of the founding of the memorial in 1926 by the local Women's Institute and the re-dedication in 1990.  The plaques also list the names of the brave heroes from this community who perished in the World Wars.  As we have seen with most small villages such as Selkirk, the list of names of the dead far exceeds the size of the community, further reinforcing the sacrifice made not only by those who fought for our freedom but for the families left at home to carry on the daily business and farms. 

 

Marker text:

Left Pillar:

Top plaque:

THE SELKIRK WOMEN'S INSTITUTE

STARTED IN FEBRUARY 1902,

SPEARHEADED A FUND TO PAY RESPECT

TO OUR WAR HEROES IN

FEBRUARY OF 1924.  WITH THE HELP OF

THE COMMUNITY THE ORIGINAL GATES

WERE ERECTED IN 1926.  THESE GATES WERE

RE-DEDICATED IN NOVEMBER OF

1990.

Lower plaque:

IN MEMORIAM

THESE GATES HAVE BEEN ERECTED

IN PROUD AND LOVING MEMORY

OF THE MEN OF SELKIRK AND

COMMUNITY WHO SERVED IN THE

GREAT WAR  1914-1918

"GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS

THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS."

                                                                       JOHN  15-13

 

Right Pillar:

Top plaque:

IN LOVING MEMORY OF

F/SGT  EARL CLARENCE BRAY                    PTE  ROY HENRY NELSON

PTE  JOHN WILFRED COLUMBUS                PTE  CHARLES REGINALD RAWCLIFFE

PTE  HAROLD DONALD                                  FO  JAMES REGINALD REBBETOY

PTE  JOHN MALCOLM DONALD                   PTE  ROY JOSEPH SCHAEFFER

PTE  LLOYD WALTER MARR                          STWD  DIRK VAN OOYEN

PTE  EDWARD MCKEEN                                   PTE  FRANK VEENSTRA

PTE  BERKLEY MITCHELL

WHO DIED IN MILITARY SERVICE FOR

CANADA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR

1939 - 1945

Lower plaque:

THESE

MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE

LIEUT  B. RYAN                                     DVR  H. ABSOLOM

SGT  S. EFFINGER                                 PTE  A. HARE

LCE CORP  ED INGALLS                     PTE  W.E. BROWN

PTE  J.R. TOWNSON                             PTE  A. CARLTON

PTE  W.E. MAXWELL                           PTE  A. DOUGHTY

PTE  L.V. EDSALL                                 PTE H. SHERK

PTE  J. ROBBINS                                   PTE  W.W. CUNNINGHAM

SNIPER  L.H. SIMMS                            PTE  BASIL JONES

                                 PTE  V. MELLON

"THEIR NAMES SHALL LIVE FOR EVERMORE"