The Korea Veterans Association of Canada erected a Wall of Remembrance to the 516 Canadians who lost their lives in the Korean War. At its dedication on July 27, 1997, Korean War Veterans marched to the site to pay homage to their fallen comrades. In total, 26,791 Canadians served in the Korean War and approximately 7,000 continued to serve between the ceasefire and end of 1955.
Two members of Unit 57, Korea Veterans Association, were gathering information about a comrade who had been killed in Korea and a member of the family requested a photo of the grave in Pusan. When he saw how delighted the family was to obtain the photo, it was then that President Bill Allan, came up with the concept of a Wall of Remembrance.
Bill solicited the support of the secretary, past Presidents George Mannion and David G. Barker, and members of Unit 57. They developed a plan and initiated meetings between Mount Pleasant Group of Cemeteries who own and operate Meadowvale Cemetery and several government agencies. The committee raised $300,000.00 from the private sector.
The Wall of Remembrance was designed by Toronto artist, Kari Myllymaki and constructed of gray Barre granite, which matched the existing Veterans' Memorial. Approximately 200 feet in length and two feet high, the wall curves gently to follow the roadway which circles around the Veterans' Memorial. It follows the natural topography which slopes gently towards the roadway and leans backwards at an angle of approximately 50 degrees.
The central feature consists of three panels: a rectangular block flanked by two wings which slope down from the center. They are four feet wide and approximately five feet high at the highest point. The rectangular block in the center features the Korean Veterans Association insignia, Canadian Forces insignia, United Nations insignia, and names of the participating Canadian Forces.
There are seven sections on each side of the central feature. Each section contains four rows of 6" X 10" bronze plaques, which are replicas of those gracing the graves of the comrades in Pusan.
On one wing is a poem by Jack LaChance, on the other, a verse from Laurence Binyon's famous poem "For the Fallen", information relating to the dedication of the memorial, and the names of the organizing committee responsible for getting this project off the ground.
