British Columbia

Erected by Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 228, this memorial is dedicated to Canadian veterans.

The Merritt Cenotaph was largely the work of the local Ladies’ Auxiliary of the Great War Veterans’ Association. It was constructed by Patterson, Chandler, and Stephen Ltd. out of Vancouver and W.R. Chandler personally oversaw the placement of the monument. The cenotaph was unveiled on 6 November 1921, and dedicated to those who died in the First World War. Later, inscriptions were added for the South African War, Second World War and Korean War.

To recognize the 75th birthday of the City of Merritt, the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 96 restored the cenotaph on the courthouse lawn. Over $6,000.00 was raised for the project that included renewing the walkway, cleaning, replacing missing letters and placing black granite slates around the base. Unveiling and rededication took place following a parade on 23 July 1986.

On 5 November 2008, the cenotaph was moved to the Merritt Civic Centre.

Corporal Donald Hastings served with the Canadian Army in Korea. He is the only soldier from North Vancouver killed in the Korean War and the only soldier from British Columbia whose body was never recovered.

Corporal Hastings was born in North Battleford, Saskatchewan on 20 March 1929. He moved to British Columbia and completed grade 10 at North Vancouver High. During his school days he participated in Cadets. He enlisted in the Canadian Army on 26 July 1945 and served in the Merchant Navy, Canadian Army Pacific Force from 25 July 1945 to 14 June 1946. He was honorably discharged and earned the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal.

He re-enlisted on 17 January 1949 and was posted to the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry in Calgary, Alberta. Corporal Hastings was sent to Korea, arriving on 30 January 1952. He was part of the Sniper Section and was killed in action during the Richardson Patrol on 15 October 1952. The area was overran by the enemy and heavily shelled by Canadian Gunners. No trace of Corporal Hastings was found.

Hastings Lake was named as part of the Remembrance Day ceremonies on 11 November 2005. Guy F. Black researched and submitted the name proposal to Government if British Columbia. His only connection was being a next door neighbour and friend to Corporal Hastings' sister-in-law Phyllis Hastings. Guy Black served in the Engineer Corps, Cadets and Reserves.

A ceremony was held on 15 September 2013 at Hastings Lake. It is located is deep in the backcountry and requires a long hard hike or a helicopter ride to reach. The lake was chosen with the help of North Shore Rescue. A commemorative plaque was installed by the team in advance and the ceremony was arranged around their training schedule. They helped Guy Black with the eight-year journey to honour a man so few know anything about.

Lynn Valley is named in honour of Sapper John Linn, Royal Engineers, a member of the Columbia Detachment, a military unit that served in the lower mainland of BC from 1859 to 1863. The Linn family name was frequently misspelled “Lynn”, and that spelling of the neighbourhood name came into use at an early date. The name was used early to identify this area, but registered for use with the Government of Canada on July 19, 1979.

John Linn was born at Corstorphine, Edinburgh in July 1821, and joined the Army in 1846. He served in Halifax, Nova Scotia from 1848 to 1857, marrying Mary Robertson just before returning to England. In 1859, he sailed for British Columbia with his family, as a member of the Columbia Detachment of the Royal Engineers. A mason by trade, Linn had his part in the construction of roads and buildings and other projects in the newly established colony. When the Detachment was disbanded in October 1863, he chose to remain in the colony rather than return to England. In 1869 he moved his family from New Westminster to a house he built on the north shore of Burrard Inlet just east of what is now Lynn Creek. He worked as a mason and also logged, providing lumber for wharf construction in the area. Unfortunately, his new life in British Columbia was short lived as he fell seriously ill in 1875. He later died of a stroke in April 1876.

Lynn Peaks is named in honour of Sapper John Linn, Royal Engineers, a member of the Columbia Detachment, a military unit that served in the lower mainland of BC from 1859 to 1863. The Linn family name was frequently misspelled “Lynn”, and that spelling of the mountain name came into use at an early date. The name was used as early as 1878 to identify this area, but registered for use with the Government of Canada on December 7, 1937.

John Linn was born at Corstorphine, Edinburgh in July 1821, and joined the Army in 1846. He served in Halifax, Nova Scotia from 1848 to 1857, marrying Mary Robertson just before returning to England. In 1859, he sailed for British Columbia with his family, as a member of the Columbia Detachment of the Royal Engineers. A mason by trade, Linn had his part in the construction of roads and buildings and other projects in the newly established colony. When the Detachment was disbanded in October 1863, he chose to remain in the colony rather than return to England. In 1869 he moved his family from New Westminster to a house he built on the north shore of Burrard Inlet just east of what is now Lynn Creek. He worked as a mason and also logged, providing lumber for wharf construction in the area. Unfortunately, his new life in British Columbia was short lived as he fell seriously ill in 1875. He later died of a stroke in April 1876.

Lynn Lake is named in honour of Sapper John Linn, Royal Engineers, a member of the Columbia Detachment, a military unit that served in the lower mainland of BC from 1859 to 1863. The Linn family name was frequently misspelled “Lynn”, and that spelling of the lake name came into use at an early date. The name was used as early as 1878 to identify this area, but registered for use with the Government of Canada on December 7, 1937.

John Linn was born at Corstorphine, Edinburgh in July 1821, and joined the Army in 1846. He served in Halifax, Nova Scotia from 1848 to 1857, marrying Mary Robertson just before returning to England. In 1859, he sailed for British Columbia with his family, as a member of the Columbia Detachment of the Royal Engineers. A mason by trade, Linn had his part in the construction of roads and buildings and other projects in the newly established colony. When the Detachment was disbanded in October 1863, he chose to remain in the colony rather than return to England. In 1869 he moved his family from New Westminster to a house he built on the north shore of Burrard Inlet just east of what is now Lynn Creek. He worked as a mason and also logged, providing lumber for wharf construction in the area. Unfortunately, his new life in British Columbia was short lived as he fell seriously ill in 1875. He later died of a stroke in April 1876.

Lynn Creek is named in honour of Sapper John Linn, Royal Engineers, a member of the Columbia Detachment, a military unit that served in the lower mainland of BC from 1859 to 1863. The Linn family name was frequently misspelled “Lynn”, and that spelling of the creek name came into use at an early date. The name was used as early as 1878 to identify this area, but registered for use with the Government of Canada on December 7, 1937.

John Linn was born at Corstorphine, Edinburgh in July 1821, and joined the Army in 1846. He served in Halifax, Nova Scotia from 1848 to 1857, marrying Mary Robertson just before returning to England. In 1859, he sailed for British Columbia with his family, as a member of the Columbia Detachment of the Royal Engineers. A mason by trade, Linn had his part in the construction of roads and buildings and other projects in the newly established colony. When the Detachment was disbanded in October 1863, he chose to remain in the colony rather than return to England. In 1869 he moved his family from New Westminster to a house he built on the north shore of Burrard Inlet just east of what is now Lynn Creek. He worked as a mason and also logged, providing lumber for wharf construction in the area. Unfortunately, his new life in British Columbia was short lived as he fell seriously ill in 1875. He later died of a stroke in April 1876.

This Second World War memorial plaque is inside the Memorial Community Recreation Centre (see memorial # 59015-027 and 028) that was erected by the Board of School Trustees and the Memorial Community Recreation Centre of North Vancouver.

This Memorial Gym  is part of the Memorial Recreation Centre (see memorial # 59015-027 and 029) erected by the Board of School Trustees and the Memorial Community Centre of North Vancouver. The building was unveiled by Captain John H. Cates, M.L.A. on May 24th 1949.

Frederick Lasserre helped to found the School of Architecture at UBC in 1946 and later—as an associate at Sharp, Thompson, Berwick and Pratt—designed the UBC War Memorial Gym.

This Memorial Community Recreation Centre erected by the Board of School Trustees and the Memorial Community Recreation Centre of North Vancouver was unveiled by Captain John H. Cates, M.L.A. on May 24th 1949.

Wilfrid Robinson McDougall (May 28, 1896 - Dec. 24, 1982), born at Milton, Ontario, struggled five-years to build the Memorial Community Centre. He attended UBC from 1915-17, went overseas for two years during The Great War and returned to graduate in 1921. McDougall was a teacher at North Vancouver High School in 1922 when it was the North Shore’s only high school. He later became Principal for an astounding 26 years, retiring in 1961. His contributions to education and the community were immense. He was president of the NV Board of Trade, NV Kiwanis, NS Teachers’ Assoc. and BC Teachers’ Federation (and awarded the prestigious Fergusson Award as BCTF Teacher of the Year in 1946.) He was involved with the BC Junior Red Cross, NV Sea and Air Cadets, NV Schools Band, BC Parent-Teacher Assoc. and NS Neighbourhood House. He was on the UBC Senate from 1944-54. He ran as a Liberal in the June 1953 provincial election.