Cobourg’s military history reveals that significant contingents of soldiers participated during the War of 1812, the First and Second World Wars and later it played a role in Canada’s post war defense plan by opening the No. 26 Central Ordnance Depot in 1953. At capacity, the Depot employed over 700 military and civilian workers and stored over 30,000 items, such as, weapons, munitions and combat vehicles for development and testing. The Depot was later named Cobourg Forces Station in 1966 and is now the location of the Cobourg Afghanistan Memorial. The memorial was unveiled on November 8, 2019.
Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV) III were originally manufactured by Canadians at General Dynamics Land Systems Canada in London, Ontario and were instrumental to troops in carrying out their missions while in Afghanistan. The monuments were created from decommissioned LAV III hulls, donated by the Government of Canada and built by Militex Coating Inc. and Fanshawe College students in London, Ontario.
On November 5, 2014, the Canada Company Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV) lll Monument Program was launched to recognize the 40,000 Canadians Armed Forces who served in Afghanistan and to commemorate the 162 Canadians who lost their lives. The program closed after awarding 33 monuments to communities across Canada.
The Town also dedicated the Ontario Street overpass to Captain Nichola Kathleen Sarah Goddard, who became the first female soldier killed, in 2006, during combat in Afghanistan.
