Day 1 - History and the importance of remembrance symbols (30-45 minutes)
Objectives
Students will:
- learn about Newfoundland and Labrador’s contributions during the First World War and the lives of those who served; and
- develop an understanding and awareness of the significance of the tomb of an unknown Newfoundland First World War soldier.
Resources
History
Adjust the amount of historical information or review according to the needs and age of your students.
Before you begin the lesson, you may wish to check out:
- the Canada Remembers the Newfoundland Regiment and the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel information sheet for some historical context
- the Heritage Newfoundland website provides a variety of bilingual videos covering the province’s First World War history.
- this CPAC video also provides a short, comprehensive overview of Newfoundland and Labrador’s contributions to the First World War and memorials built to honour the fallen.
Some points you may want to cover include:
- The soldier whose remains are laid to rest in the tomb of an unknown Newfoundland First World War soldier served with the Royal Newfoundland Regiment. At the time of the First and Second World Wars, Newfoundland was a separate part of the British Empire. Newfoundland did not join Canada until 1949.
- People from Newfoundland and Labrador served in many military branches and services during the First World War. This includes the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, the Newfoundland Royal Naval Reserve, the Newfoundland Mercantile Marines, the Newfoundland Forestry Corps and Allied air services. Although women couldn’t serve in combat roles, they served overseas as nurses or with the Voluntary Aid Detachment. At home, others served as coastal watchers and spotters and in homefront support services.
- After the war ended, July 1st was officially designated Memorial Day in Newfoundland. This day was chosen because it marked the anniversary of fighting at Beaumont-Hamel during the Battle of the Somme in 1916. This was the Royal Newfoundland Regiment’s deadliest battle during the war. In less than 30 minutes, 86% of the 800 men who went over the top were dead, wounded, or missing.
- A national war memorial was built in St. John’s to remember all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who served and lost their lives. It was dedicated on July 1, 1924. Six battlefield memorials were also built in Europe. They each feature a bronze caribou statue because the caribou is the emblem of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment. Together, the memorials are known as the Trail of the Caribou.
- Commonwealth service members who died while on active service were usually buried in war cemeteries. However, more than 800 members of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, the Newfoundland Royal Naval Reserve and the Newfoundland Mercantile Marines died during the First World War and have no known grave. Their names are inscribed on panels at the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial in France.
- Other First World War memorials can also be found in Newfoundland and Labrador. One special memorial is at Bowring Park in St. John’s, where replicas of the bronze caribou and the panels bearing the names of those with no known grave were placed. The caribou faces in the direction of Beaumont-Hamel. Another is Memorial University, which was formed in 1925 as a living memorial to those who died in service during the First World War.
Activity
Step 1
Explain to students that on July 1, 2024, the remains of an unknown Newfoundland First World War soldier will be buried inside a tomb at the base of the National War Memorial in St. John’s, NL. When he was buried more than 100 years ago, and because his identity wasn’t known, the grave marker said, “Known Unto God”.
To gain an appreciation for what this unknown soldier’s experiences might have been, provide additional historical background on Newfoundland and Labrador’s involvement in the First World War as appropriate for your student’s grade and knowledge level (see background for guidance and resources).
Did you know? During the First World War, soldiers may have been designated lost with no known grave for many reasons. Sometimes, their remains were never found or they were lost at sea. Sometimes, their identification disks were separated from their bodies. In other cases, they were buried in a marked grave in a cemetery destroyed by further fighting in the same area later in the war.
Step 2
Lead a discussion with the class about the importance of symbols in remembrance. Make a list of examples. It should include physical symbols like memorials and monuments, wreaths, a poppy or forget-me-not flowers. It should also include symbolic acts, such as reading a poem like In Flanders’ Fields, playing the Last Post, or taking part in a remembrance ceremony. Symbols help us remember people we have lost and important events.
A tomb of the unknown soldier exists at many national war memorials around the world, including the National War Memorial in Ottawa. They are symbols of the loss experienced as a result of war. Explain that in the coming days we are going to think about how a person can be a symbol that represents many people.
Step 3
Tell students there are many things we will never know about the person who is physically buried in the tomb of an unknown Newfoundland soldier in St. John’s:
- We will not know his name.
- We will not know where in Newfoundland and Labrador he was from.
- We will not know how old he was when he died or in what battle he was killed.
Even though science and technology might tell us these things now, we will never seek to discover the identity of the person buried in the tomb. If we were to do so, the tomb would lose its meaning as a symbol.
But not knowing doesn’t mean we can’t imagine! By imagining, we will better understand that the people who served and sacrificed in the First World War were a lot like all of us.
- Date modified: