Monument of the Brave

The "Monument des Braves" is dedicated to soldiers who died in the First and Second World Wars. In 1945, the women of the Cercle des Fermières decided to have a monument erected in memory of their fallen husbands, brothers or sons. In 1947, the memorial was constructed by two members of the parish, Richard Mitchell and Régis Maloney, with the help of other volunteers. In 1959, the parish priest, Father Racek, decided to complete the structure by adding an angel carrying a sword to the top. He also had plaques bearing the names of most of the young men of the parish who died in the wars of 1914 and 1939 installed on three sides. Some names are missing, because the parents of some of the fallen were not able to pay the $10 fee that was required. The official inauguration and blessing of the monument was held in 1960, as part of the celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of the parish. A number of dignitaries were invited to the ceremony, along with veterans’ representatives and the rector of the Anglican church of La Malbaie, Reverend Thomas. In 2001, the angel at the top of the monument had to be removed because of severe damage. In 2002, with the help of volunteers, a large cross taken from the church tower was installed to replace the angel. However, in 2010, the cross was bent in a violent storm and it too had to be removed.