The original granite obelisk was constructed in 1902 and dedicated to the memory of Captain P. K. Milligan who was killed in the South African War. It was unveiled on May 24, 1902 by Colonel Cotton, Q.M.G., Ottawa during a ceremony conducted by Colonel John Hughes.
A plaque on one side of the base is dedicated to the Durham Regiment, forerunner of the Midland Regiment. There is also a plaque dedicated to four local boys who lost their lives in the First World War.
In April 1943, a collision between a transport truck and a car damaged the monument. The original stone base was replaced with cement and was re-erected in the Memorial Garden. In 1980, it was restored and is now maintained by the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 178 and the Town of Clarington.
