Ontario

Many projects were considered by the Knights of Columbus of Ontario to commemorate Canada's Centennial and all agreed with past State Deputy Tobias Kelly’s suggestion of a monument dedicated to peace on earth. Erected in 1967 by the Knights of Columbus of Ontario, the Pray for Peace consists of three modernistic columns representing three persons of the Trinity as they look down on a portion of a globe representing a troubled, war-torn world.

William C. "Bill" Kennedy, Grand Knight of Toronto Council #1388 volunteered to be the Chairman for the project. Regrettably, Bill died before the project was completed and in his stead, Cecil Berry of Council #1388 in Toronto chaired the project. He died soon after the project was completed.

Pray for Peace was unveiled on October 22, 1967, by past State Deputy Louis Salini and dedicated by Most Rev. Wiliam J. Smith Bishop of Pembroke State Chaplain for the Knights of Columbus. The 25 feet high monument weighs 50 tons and was made in 13 sections of Barre granite. It was designed by Donald Ailles of Toronto and produced by the Smith Monument Company of Toronto. Statues of a father, mother and child face the columns and represent a family reading the inscription on the base of the columns.

The cost of the $40,000 monument was covered by 30,000 Knights of Columbus members in Ontario subscribing $1.30 each. The land, lighting and maintenance were provided by the city.

For years, this property was used as a docking site by the Detroit-Windsor Ferry Company and several businesses. In the late 1950s, these buildings were purchased and demolished by the City of Windsor so that the site could be developed into a major riverfront park. This park was to share the memories of those men and women who participated in various military engagements.

Dieppe Gardens was officially dedicated June 28, 1959, named after Dieppe, France, where the Essex Scottish Regiment of Windsor, along with other units of the 2nd Canadian Division, made an assault landing on August 19, 1942. Almost 5,000 troops, joined by members of the British and American forces, took part in the Dieppe Raid. The results were grim and more than 3,350 soldiers would be killed, wounded or taken prisoner that day. This park honours of all the men who served in this engagement and those from this area who served in Canada’s Armed Forces in the Second World War. 

Lieutenant Colonel F. K. Jasperson, DSO, ED, QC, the commanding officer of the Essex Scottish Regiment of Windsor during the Dieppe Raid, unveiled the Service Personnel Monument. Three Army padres who took part in the commemoration ceremonies in Dieppe, France, during the Second World War officiated the service — Captain J.W. Houston, former chaplain of 2nd Division, Royal Canadian Artillery; Major F.C. McRitchie, former chaplain of 2nd Division Royal Canadian Engineers and current chaplain of Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment; and Major M.J. Dalton, MBE, former chaplain of the Essex Scottish Regiment.

As a further tribute to the Windsor area men who served and died, a plane flew over the area at the end of the ceremony and dropped poppies.

When Dieppe Gardens was dedicated, a Service Personnel Monument featuring a Silver Cross was placed by mothers whose sons were killed in the Second World War. Dieppe Gardens is home to many other military monuments: Pray for Peace, Naval Monument, WO1 Pipe Major J. (Jock) Copland MBE Memorial, Eternal Flame, Royal Canadian Air Force Memorial, Red Beach Memorial, and Korea Veterans War Memorial.

The black granite Canadians in Vietnam Memorial remembers the 103 Canadians who were killed in Vietnam and seven missing in action. This memorial was donated to the city of Windsor by a small group of American Vietnam War veterans. Unveiled on 2 July 1995, it is dedicated to all Canadians who served in the American Armed Forces during the Vietnam War.

This memorial to the veterans and war dead of the First World War from Sandwich was erected by the Honourable James Baby Chapter of the Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire (I.O.D.E.) after the First World War. It was refurbished by the Windsor Veterans Memorial Services Committee in 1980 and, again, in 1993 by Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 143 and the City of Windsor. The memorial was rededicated on 11 November 1993.

The Service Personnel Monument was dedicated on June 28, 1959, by the Windsor Chapter of the Remembrance Association Silver Cross Women of Canada and is dedicated to Windsor and Essex County war dead from the two World Wars and Korean War. More than 100 mothers and wives of the war dead attended the dedication. The nine foot monument was unveiled by Lieutenant Colonel F. K. Jasperson, DSO, ED, QC, the commanding officer of the Essex Scottish Regiment of Windsor during the Dieppe Raid. Three Army padres who took part in the commemoration ceremonies in Dieppe, France, during the Second World War officiated the service.

The base of the monument was replaced in 1962 by the Air Force Club in Windsor due to deterioration. The memorial also had to be refaced due to vandalism. This was financed by the Windsor Veterans Memorial Service Committee. The monument was re-dedicated in 1997.

This memorial to the South African War veterans of Essex County was dedicated in 1906 outside the former Post Office. It was relocated to Jackson Park in 1932. Ouellette Avenue was extended in 1961, which forced the monument to be moved and re-dedicated that year. It now rests in the park's sunken gardens.

John Scott well-known architect in Detroit, Michigan (John Scott & Co.) designed the Windsor Memorial Fountain, honouring veterans from the Boer War in South Africa, 1903-04. The firm's best known work in Canada was the refined Beaux-Arts design for the Carnegie Library in Windsor, Ont. (1902-03).

Two bronze sculptures stand together on a tall plinth at the centre of Sandwich Towne roundabout. The location is very close to where Chief Tecumseh and his men would have crossed for the battle of Fort Detroit. General Brock is depicted as looking to the Canadian side of the battle where cannon shots would have been fired from. Tecumseh, on his horse, sits tall and strong while Brock stands at his side peering through a telescope. This monument by artist Mark Williams and community builder John Muir, commemorates the historic friendship between General Sir Isaac Brock, commander of the British Forces in Canada, and Shawnee Chief Tecumseh during the War of 1812.

The life size sculptures were created by local artist Mark Williams who spent two years on the piece. It weighs about one ton and the bronze work was completed by Hopper Foundry of Forest Ontario. The monument commemorates the historic moment when General Brock and Chief Tecumseh met in Windsor during the War of 1812. A meeting that helped shape the future of Canada. The concept was generated from historical facts of the battle presented by long-time resident and vice-principal of General Brock Public School, John Muir. In John’s vision Chief Tecumseh was to sit tall on his horse as the leader of his people.

The presentation of gifts the night before the battle was added after Mark spoke with Scott Finlay of Parks Canada who had a wealth of information for both Chief Tecumseh and General Brock. He spoke of the kind of men they were, which led to the covering of half of Chief Tecumseh’s face with his hair. Indigenous people never wanted their souls taken, so you could not take a picture, make sketches or anything like that. Mark has hidden Tecumseh's face to protect his soul.

The night before the battle, Brock and Tecumseh met in Amherstburg at Fort Malden and General Brock presented Chief Tecumseh with a holster of guns that was on his horse's neck. Chief Tecumseh in return gave General Brock the sash he was wearing. Tecumseh was not a colourful leader in the way he appeared to others and did not need for any drapery. If presented with anything, he would quickly pass them on to his followers and not use them as a badge of honour for himself. This was another reason for showing the exchange between the two men, as Tecumseh surely would have passed on his gift of saddle pistols to one of his men. 

When Americans declared war against Britain in an attempt to remove them from North America, the commander of the British forces in Canada was General Sir Isaac Brock. He formed an alliance with Shawnee Chief Tecumseh, who also wanted to hinder American expansion. Tecumseh joined his 600 men with Brock’s 700 men and together they presented a united front that made the Americans believe they were badly outnumbered and led to the capture of Detroit.

John Muir understood the significance of Tecumseh and Brock and began lobbying for a monument back in 2012 on the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. John passed away in 2016, but thanks to his dedication this project was well underway by that time. He did get to see his vision for Chief Tecumseh on horseback and General Brock in finished clay. The monument was supposed to be completed in September 2017, but was delayed after Indigenous artifacts were found during excavation, prompting archeologists to study the area. Some of the artifacts found go back 2,600 years.

The Tecumseh and Brock Monument was unveiled on September 7, 2018, and John's son attended the ceremony to see his dad's dream finally come to be. 

The 1812 Peace Garden, which commemorates the War of 1812, was erected by the Tecumseh Area Historical Society Thursday 06/21/2012. The town was named in honour of Tecumseh, Shawnee chief, who was leader of a First Nations confederacy and military leader in the War of 1812. The 1812 Peace Garden is a component of the Tecumseh Parkway, driving route running along the Thames River that will connect many sites of cultural, historic, natural and commercial interest. The parkway includes a number of stops at significant sites along the route, including the Tecumseh monument near Thamesville which marks the site of the Battle of the Thames, in which the legendary Shawnee Chief was killed. Along the route are various sites, including Tecumseh Park in Chatham, where encamped British troops successfully skirmished with the advancing Americans.

The Tecumseh Mural was unveiled on 3 July 2022. The mural honours the Canadian Armed Forces, the poppy, and Colonel Paul Poisson - the Town of Tecumseh's first mayor.

Earl Haig Secondary School is named after Field Marshal The 1^st Earl Haig. The school was established in 1928, shortly after the Early Haig’s death.

Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1^st Earl Haig, KT, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCIE, ADC, was born in Scotland in 1861. Joining the British Army, he served as a cavalryman in the Sudan and South Africa and after the South African War rapidly rose through the ranks. When the First World War broke out, Haig commanded the British 1^st Corps and in 1915 he was appointed Commander of the British Expeditionary Force in France, a position he held until the end of the war. He oversaw the terrible battles of the Somme of 1916. In 1918, he extended the British section of the Western Front southwards, his troops suffering terrible losses at the hands of the German offensive. After the war, he devoted himself to the welfare of his men. He spent his later years traveling the British Empire initiating charities to aid those who had served with him.