Norsworthy Monument
Municipality/Province: Ingersoll, ON
Memorial number: 35063-023
Type: Bust - bronze, base - limestone
Address: 603809 Cemetery Lane
Location: Ingersoll Rural Cemetery
GPS coordinates: Lat: 43.0544189 Long: -80.8742192
Submitted by: David McInnis. Scott Gillies.
The life-size bronze bust of Major Edward Cuthbert Norsworthy was created by British Canadian sculptor Hamilton Plantagenet MacCarthy. Allegedly, its positioned to symbolize Edward looking towards his boyhood home on King Street East. It was unveiled to the public on April 21, 1918, three years after Edward had been killed in action. The Norsworthy Monument was officially unveiled by the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario, on behalf of masons in Montreal.
The monument was originally unveiled to commemorate the heroism of Major Edward C. Norsworthy, but all four of James C. Norsworthy's sons served in the First World War. On June 16, 1919, tablets were added to the monument, in the memory of his son Lieutenant Alfred James Norsworthy, and nephews, Harold and Robert Hunter, on behalf of the Ontario Historical Society. Robert was killed on September 17, 1918 and Harold was killed just six days before the Armistice. They were sons of James C. Norsworthy's sister who lived in Brampton, Ontario.
All four of James C. Norsworthy's sons were born in Ingersoll, received their university education at McGill, and all went into the banking business. Edward was the eldest and one of the first to enlist in September 1914 at Valcartier, Quebec. He was shipped out with the 1st Division of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. He was Second in Command of the Royal Highland Regiment, Black Watch of Canada when the Germans unleashed poisonous gas for the first time, during the Second Battle of Ypres. Edward was reported to have succumbed to wounds in the field during the night of April 22, 1915.
His younger brother Alfred was killed in action in the days leading up to Vimy Ridge, while brother Stanley was in command of the Black Watch during the attack on Vimy. The youngest brother John had served with Alfred and he too was also wounded during that famous attack. John is buried beneath the Norsworthy Monument along with his father, mother and wife.
One of Alfred's grave markers is located directly behind the monument. His original wooden cross in Barlin Cemetery was replaced with a stone marker, and then replaced again by the standard military marker. That stone marker was sent to his father in Ingersoll.
On April 22, 2018, a re-dedication ceremony of the monument was presented by the Ingersoll Museum in cooperation with the two Masonic Lodges in Ingersoll, to commemorate the original dedication and unveiling.
Inscription found on memorial
[front/devant]
IN MEMORY OF
MAJOR EDWARD CUTHBERT NORSWORTHY
13TH BATTALION ROYAL HIGHLANDERS
3RD BRIGADE CANADIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE
BORN IN INGERSOLL 29TH MAY 1879
KILLED IN ACTION AT LANGEMARCK 22ND APRIL 1915
MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES
BY FIELD MARSHAL SIR JOHN FRENCH
FOR GALLANT AND DISTINGUISHED
SERVICE IN THE FIELD
NOT FOR FAME OR REWARD-NOT FOR PLACE OR RANK
NOT LURED BY AMBITION-OR GOADED BY NECESSITY
BUT IN SIMPLE OBEDIENCE TO DUTY
AS HE UNDERSTOOD IT
MAJOR NORSWORTHY SACRIFICED ALL-SUFFERED ALL
DARED ALL-AND DIED
"DUCLE ET DECORUM EST PRO PATRIA MORI"
[side/côté]
FRED
IN MEMORY
OF
LIEUTENANT ALFRED JAMES NORSWORTHY
73RD BATTALION ROYAL HIGHLANDERS OF CANADA
BORN IN INGERSOLL 3RD MAY 1887
KILLED IN ACTION AT VIMY RIDGE 29TH MARCH 1917
HIS DAUNTLESS COURAGE AND CHEERFULNESS UNDER
MOST TRYING CONDITIONS WON THE ADMIRATION
OF HIS SUPERIOR OFFICERS AND HIS MEN
GENTLE IN PEACE - A HERO IN BATTLE
BELOVED BY ALL WHO KNEW HIM
FOR GOD FOR TRUTH FOR LIBERTY
Street view
Note
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