The First World War monument is a series of numbers and letters made of thousands of white stones that spell out the abbreviations of two units that were raised in Medicine Hat during WWI, the 3rd Canadian Mounted Rifles (3 CMR) and the 175th (Medicine Hat) Battalion C.E.F. (175).
The Royal United Services Institute of Medicine Hat has undertaken Project 175 to create a monument on the side of a hillside above Third Street, N.W., and Saamis Drive in Medicine Hat that is designed to be highly visible throughout the City of Medicine Hat. At three or four times the size of the Canadian flag (on a nearby hill), it can be seen from many areas of the city. A dedication on the first phase took place on Sept. 10, 2017. The lettering would be complete summer 2017, and a proposed second phase would include adding a stylized maple leaf as well as a poppy.
The local chapter of the Royal United Services Institute includes active military units, such as the Light Horse Reserve unit, cadet groups, the local Royal Canadian Legion and others, such as military contractors.
The Monument commemorates the citizens of Medicine Hat, the members of 3 CMR and the 175th Bn, and Pte. J.P. Robertson, VC a Medicine Hat resident who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions at Passchendaele on 6 November 1917.
The monument is a testament to Medicine Hat's contributions to the war. It will also mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge and the Battle of Passchendaele. 2017 has the Centenaries for the Battle of Vimy Ridge and the Battle of Passchendaele. It is also the 90th Anniversary of the Robertson Memorial Branch #17 The Royal Canadian Legion, which is named after Pte. Robertson.
