New Brunswick

This LAV III Monument honours the members of our Canadian Armed Forces who served to protect our way of life and freedoms during the post 9/11 war on terror in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2014.

During their 12+ years in Afghanistan our troops were regularly confronted with enemy fire, suicide bombers and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). The Canadian made LAV IIIs’ superior technology offered a great defense and soon became relied upon to protect our troops and preserve lives during the conduct of a variety of missions to help restore peace and government to the people of Afghanistan.

The LAV III became a "home away from home" for many soldiers and now it has returned to our hometown in the form of a memorial to say “thank you” to these very troops for their efforts and sacrifices. This monument - located next to the municipal cenotaph - will provide our citizens a place to pay tribute to our modern-day veterans of Afghanistan and to ensure that our local Fallen Heroes of that conflict will be forever remembered.

This sculpture, “KNEELING GUNNER”, depicts an Artilleryman, one of the gun crew (the “Loader”) cradling a 105mm artillery round as he kneels and waits to re-load the gun breach after the gun is fired. The uniform and accoutrements are circa 1970 – the Royal Canadian Artillery Association presented a copy in 1974 to the School of Artillery (CFB Gagetown) as an official centerpiece. The statue was unveiled in 1974, and is dedicated to current and past members of the Canadian Artillery.

This sculpture, “TROOPER”, depicts an Armoured Corps Trooper holding up an Armour-piercing discarding sabot (APDS) round as he would in handing up such a round to another crewman in the turret to re-stock the ammunition bins in the Centurion tank. The knowledgeable viewer can tell this man is a tank crewman without a tank present, with the uniform and accoutrements circa 1979. A copy was presented in 1979 to the School of Armour Combat Training Centre at CFB Gagetown as the official Armoured Corps Centerpiece. It is dedicated to current and past members of the Canadian Armoured Corps.

This sculpture, “MOUNTED OFFICER”, depicts an Armoured Branch Officer in the traditional dress and sword of a Cavalry officer. This work (a copy) was presented by the Royal Canadian Dragoons (RCD) in 1983 to mark the centennial of the Dragoons (1883 – 1983). It is dedicated to current and past officers of the Canadian Armoured Branch.

In 1957 the congregation of All Sappers’ Chapel, with the assistance from serving and former members of the RCE, installed a Schulmerich Coronation Carillon in the Chapel. This carillon was dedicated on 22 December 1957 to the memory of the RCE members who died in WW1, WW2 and in the service of the UN. For 27 years this carillon was heard daily on Sundays, until it broke down in 1983/84. After several unsuccessful attempts to repair the carillon it was ascertained that due to high labour costs it was not viable at the time to repair the system. In 1987 the Chapel Committee met with representatives from Schulmerich Carillons Inc and Maas-Rowe Carillons Inc. On January 19th, 1988 at the regular meeting of All Sappers’ Chapel Committee the decision was made to replace the original system with the current Maas-Rowe Carillon system. A service of dedication was held in 1957, at that time there was a plaque placed in the Chapel in memory of deceased engineers. There was also a service of dedication when the Maas-Rowe Carillon was installed and an additional plaque noting the re-dedication was placed in the Chapel adjacent to the original. When the Chapel at CFB Chilliwack was closed the RCE memorial Carillon system was relocated to St Luke’s Chapel at CFB Gagetown. Presently the Carillon is at the service representative in Moncton. St Luke’s Chapel is investigating the option to upgrade.

The Minto Royal Canadian Legion Branch Number 12 has an encased ceremonial pace stick in memory of Sapper Edgar Blaquiere of Number 1 Drilling Company. Spr Blaquiere died in Europe during the Second World War on 14 May, 1945 and is buried in Holten Canadian War Cemetery, The Netherlands. Born in Minto, NB, there was no family remaining in his hometown in the 1980s, and no wreath was laid for this soldier at the town cenotaph on Remembrance Day. The Construction Engineering Company in CFB Gagetown traditionally paraded in Minto for Remembrance Day and, noting this absence, created a memorial for the Sapper. As the Company had traditionally received an annual request from the Minto Legion Branch for a pace stick to use during their Remembrance Day Parade, on that day in 1989 they presented a cane with Spr Blaquiere’s name affixed, in memory of him.

Three Books of Remembrance of Royal Canadian Engineer and Canadian Military Engineer record the names of Canadian Engineers who lost their lives on active service during the First and Second World Wars and the Korean Conflict. The originals of the Second World War and Korea Books of Remembrance are held, with those of other Engineers of the Commonwealth, in the Royal Engineers (Kitchener)Memorial Chapel in St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, England. Copies of the books and many other commemoratives to fallen sappers are on display at the CME Museum. The names of the fatalities of the Second World War RCAF Construction and Maintenance Units are found in Deller's Book: “Per Ardua ad Usquam, History of the CMUs and 1 CEU.” In addition, the names of all RCAF Second World War fatalities are recorded in “They Shall Not Grow Old - A Book Of Remembrance” by Hayward and Allison (but it is difficult to identify the Engineers). A separate book listing those Canadian Military Engineers who have died in the service of peace with either United Nations or NATO operations is displayed in the CME Museum.

The trophy consists of amounted drill cane and was presented in 1985by Lieutenant-Colonel J.D. Harris, CD,CFSME Commandant. The award honours CWO George Robertson, a Mechanical Systems Technician, and the first School CWO from outside the Field Engineer trade. A drillcane is presented to the top student for each of the following courses:(1) Combat Engineer 043 Troop Warrant Officer;(2) Combat Engineer 043R Troop Warrant Officer; and,(3) Construction Engineering Superintendent Qualification Level 6B.

This trophy was presented by Colonel J.D. Megill, CD, when he was Commandant Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering, and was originally awarded to the top students of the Phase IV Construction Engineering package. Retired in1995 due to cancellation of the common officer training, it was re-instituted in May 2000as the Top Student Award for Airfield Engineer Officer Phase III training.

The trophy is the personal sword of Major-General W.B. Anderson, CMG,DSO, who became Army Quartermaster General during the First World War. It is awarded to the top student of Engineer Officer Phase III training.