On Sunday, November 15, 1948, the community of Brooklyn saw the greatest gathering in history during the dedication of its War Memorial. The memorial was constructed in memory of all of Brooklyn's youth that had died in the First and Second World Wars. It was built of rounded beach stones and mounted on a two-step base and sat in the middle of three converging roads - the Village Square.
A brief prayer was offered by Reverend C. D. Nicholson, M.C. of the Burlington United Church. The Reverend himself was a wounded Veteran of the Princess Louise Fusiliers. Reverend Nickerson spoke of the spirit of co-operation the Brooklyn Veterans had shown in planning and erecting the memorial, which he said, "represented not only their tribute to those who had died, but also a memorial to the living."
The memorial was unveiled by Major William Graham, M. M., president of the Hants County Branch No. 9 of the Royal Canadian Legion. A large number of Veterans from Windsor and other communities marched around the monument spreading Remembrance Day poppies over the ground. Brooklyn Veterans from the Royal Canadian Legion, Brooklyn's Women's Institute, the Porter, McKay and Harvey Families, as well as Thomas Hennessy Jr. and Mr. Harry Croth laid wreaths in memory of the fallen. A representative detachment of the 47th Anti-tank Regiment made up of members from the 88th Battery of Windsor and the 146th of Wolfville, commanded by Captain George S. McGray, helped give the necessary martial touch to the services.
The location of the cenotaph created a traffic hazard, so in 1997 the commemorative plaque was removed and placed on the new, larger cenotaph at the Brooklyn Fire Hall. The new memorial is located in a larger area where it is more convenient to hold Remembrance Day ceremonies. Poppies have been placed on the original monument.
A petition signed by 1,000 residents of the Village of Brooklyn and the area around Brooklyn for their historic war monument to be preserved was presented to the Nova Scotia Legislature on November 24 and 28, 1997. It was assured the memorial would not be moved unless the community asks the Department of Transportation and Public Works to do so. Its retention and care indicates the sentimental value it holds for the community.
