Oakwood Collegiate Institute (OCI)’s dead of the two World Wars are honoured in one large memorial.
World War One Memorial Plaque (1914-1918):
Of the 142 students and former students who enlisted in the Great War, 108 returned. Isabel Sutherland, one of five teachers who served, was stationed with an American hospital unit in France, which was bombed with poison gas. Miss Sutherland died shortly after returning to Toronto. (Captain) A. W. Dunkley, fought at Vimy Ridge, and was wounded at Passchendaele. The Dunkley Scholarship is still awarded annually.
The three bronze memorials to those who died in both World Wars are on the ground floor. The single WWI plaque is inset in the centre of the display. The two WWII plaques are on either side of the WWI plaque.
“In Flanders Fields;” left side: Vimy Ridge memorial—photo and description; right side: Juno Beach Centre—photo and description.
On the second floor, two A. J. Casson list the names of all former Oakwood staff and students who served in World War II.
Other materials, such as the photo displays of WWII students who died, are in the school’s library/archives.
(WWI): Printed list: Honour Roll of OCI / students who died in / the war. Display case: 3” x 5” card in school museum. Rank followed by given names and surname.
(WWI): Bronze plaque: Oakwood crest with dates 1914—1918. In honour of the brave sons of / Oakwood Collegiate Institute who fell in the Great War. Three columns. Given names followed by surname.
(WWII): Bronze plaque: In grateful remembrance / of / Oakwood’s sons / who gave / their lives in World War II / 1939—1945. Two columns; one name at the bottom is displayed in the middle of the two columns. Given names followed by surname: Agnew to Jenkinson At the bottom: Freedom endures through sacrifice.
(WWII): Bronze plaque: In grateful remembrance / of / Oakwood’s sons / who gave / their lives in World War II / 1939—1945. Two columns. Given names followed by surname: Kee to Winter. At the bottom: Freedom endures through sacrifice.
(WWII): Illuminated list designed by A.J. Casson. “For King and Country / Members of / Oakwood Collegiate Institute / who have volunteered for active service / with / Canada’s fighting forces” Eights columns. Surnames followed by given names or initials. Below the main body of the memorial are five columns with six names each. Column i is headed “Girls.” (Armbrust, Edith to Walters, D.) A list headed “Boys” starts below the girls’ names. Includes notations re: medals, etc. Key: red cross indicates: died on active service; red circle indicates: prisoner of war; red asterisk indicates: missing. List does not specify which war, but the presence of women’s names, and the use of an A.J. Casson document, indicate World War II.
(WWII): Illuminated list designed by A.J. Casson. “For King and Country / Members of / Oakwood Collegiate Institute / who have volunteered for active service / with / Canada’s fighting forces” Eights columns. Surnames followed by given names or initials. Column i is headed “Staff.” A list headed “Students” starts below the staff names. Includes notations re: medals, etc. Key: red cross indicates: died on active service; red circle indicates: prisoner of war; red asterisk indicates: missing. List does not specify which war, but the presence of women’s names, and the use of an A.J. Casson document, indicate World War II.
(WWII): framed collection of 52 individual black and white photos. Five rows. First names followed by surname (Ross Agnew to Bruce N. Jenkins). No heading. No key. War not named, but uniforms indicate World War II.
(WWII): framed collection of 53 individual black and white photos. Five rows. First names followed by surname (David Jenkinson to William Willison). No heading. No key. War not named, but uniforms indicate World War II.
