The Baysville Cenotaph was originally constructed in 1975 by a group of Veterans from the First and Second World Wars, Korean War, Peacekeeping missions and general service. The center pillar was dedicated during the November 11 Remembrance Service in 1975, which was presided over by Rev. S. Littlewood, a First World War Veteran. Over the course of the next 40 years the center pillar remained as originally constructed while the surrounding landscape changed like the seasons.
The Baysville Cenotaph underwent a rejuvenation in 2016 under the direction of Peter Ruttan. Mr. Ruttan has been involved with the Baysville Remembrance Service since 1995 and has organized and directed the service since 2001.
Funding for the cenotaph came entirely from public donations of money, time, equipment, and material. The Cenotaph area is now 36 ft wide x 10 ft deep x 10 ft x 10 ft and covers 460 square feet. The flowers that are planted in the two raised gardens all have a meaning to war, remembrance, sacrifice, peace, love, loss, grief, sorrow.
At the west side of the cenotaph a polished black granite slab 10 ft long by 18 inches high, proudly lists the names of Baysville's Veterans who answered the call and never came home or have returned home safely. The wall is positioned so that when the sun rises in the morning it is first to be illuminated. The cenotaph now contains two flag poles with the Canadian and Union Jack flags. At night the flags and the cenotaph center pillar are illuminated with lights.
