Ontario

Originally known as the Great War Memorial, this monument was unveiled on May 22, 1927, to commemorate the men of Niagara Falls who lost their lives in the First World War. Its granite shaft is capped by a bronze statue of a First World War Canadian infantryman who holds a rifle in one hand and his helmet in the other.

In 1982, inscriptions were added to commemorate the Second World War and Korean War. Its original inscription was edited with an 'S' added to Great War, and the years 1939-1945 added. Two pink granite stones were installed, listing the names of Niagara Falls residents who perished in the Second World War. The names of the four war dead of the Korean War were added to the back of the memorial.

Coeur de Lion MacCarthy, the son of sculptor Hamilton McCarthy, produced numerous commemorative works after the First World War, including: Winged Victory in British Columbia; Great War Memorial and Lethbridge Cenotaph in Alberta; Winged Victory in Manitoba; County of Brome War Memorial, Verdun Victory Memorial, Monument to the Brave and Winged Victory in Quebec; Clifton Hill War Memorial and Woodstock Cenotaph in Ontario.

This memorial is dedicated to those who died in the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War.

A wood cross, known as the Cross of Memory, was installed at Victoria Avenue in 1918. Made by James Parker, it rested on five steps (one for each year of the First World War). The cross was dedicated by the Great War Veterans Association in honour of men from Niagara Falls who had given their lives in the First World War. The Great War Veterans Association eventually evolved into Branch 51 of the Royal Canadian Legion. When the wood of the Cross of Memory deteriorated a granite and stone cenotaph was built in its place and a dedication ceremony was held in 1951. 

In 1971, the Victoria Avenue Branch and property was expropriated for use as an on ramp to the 420 and the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 51 moved to a new location at Valley Way. An opening ceremony for the Branch’s new home was held in May 1972. In October of that same year, a dedication ceremony was held for the relocated cenotaph and newly constructed memorial wall, featuring bronze plaques which honour those who gave their lives in the First and Second World Wars and Korean War. The memorial wall was designed and constructed by local Veteran and stone mason, Don Evans along with Len Shaw and Don Bogar (all long standing members of Branch 51).

Branch 51 was forced to downsize in 2008 which resulted in a move to Fraser Street, adjacent to Fairview Cemetery. The granite and stone cenotaph was also moved, however the granite cross was installed much deeper into a concrete base (nearly covering the inscription date), and the bronze plaques and components of the memorial wall were placed in storage for safe keeping.

The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 51 closed its doors in 2019. The cenotaph and remnants of the Memorial Wall were dismantled in the spring of 2019 and relocated and restored by Monument Restoration Experts, Anderson Cemetery Contracting in August of 2019. The new home for the cenotaph and Memorial Plaques is in Fairview Cemetery’s Field of Honour, adjacent to the Tomb and Memorial of the Unknown Soldier.   

On September 14, 2019, the City of Niagara Falls Cemetery Services, in partnership with Royal Canadian Legion Branch 479, held the annual parade of the Unknown Solider. The service included a ceremony to bless and unveil the relocated and restored cenotaph. Representatives from all levels of government, as well as the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Royal Canadian Legions and the Lincoln Welland Regiment Museum participated in the ceremony. The total cost of the project, which was funded entirely through the City of Niagara Falls Monument Restoration Program, was approximately $25,000.

Andrew George Latta McNaughton was born in Moosomin, Saskatchewan (formerly of the Northwest Territories) in 1887. Demonstrating an interest in science at an early age, he attended McGill University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Science degree in physics and engineering.

In 1909, McNaughton enlisted in the Militia and in 1914 he joined the 4th Battery of the Canadian Expeditionary Corps. His scientific background and leadership skills led to a series of rapid promotions. In under 20 years, McNaughton received six promotions, rising from the rank of Lieutenant to Major-General. By 1944, Andrew McNaughton was a Canadian General.

What separated McNaughton from his peers was his ability to apply the knowledge he gained in his formal education to his work in the field. McNaughton aided in the development of several new techniques in weaponry and detection; he was responsible for the development of the discarding sabot projectile, flash spotting and a precursor to radar called sound ranging.

General McNaughton's successful military career was compromised during the Second World War, when he approved the disastrous operation in Dieppe, France. The influence of critics and the General's ongoing health concerns led to McNaughton's resignation from his position in 1943.

McNaughton Road was named in his honour on May 16, 1944. It is located on property that was acquired by War Time Housing Limited and was the first of many developments during the war years built to help house the influx of workers required in Welland for the war effort.

Corvette Street was named on February 1, 1943, in honour of those who served in the Royal Canadian Navy on corvettes. During the Second World War, new types of vessels were constructed and scientists worked desperately to design new methods of locating and destroying the U-boats. Canada's fleet was augmented by several new types of vessels, of which the corvette was the most famous.

Designed on the pattern of a whaler, it was 63 metres long, displaced 935 tonnes and had a maximum speed of 16 knots. They could be produced quickly and cheaply and had the ability to outmanoeuvre a submarine. However, corvettes were known as "wet ships." They had been designed for coastal patrols and were pressed into transatlantic service only because there was nothing else available. As the seas broke over them, salty water seeped through seams, hatches and ventilators. They were intolerably crowded and living conditions on board for a crew of some 60 sailors were terrible. Nevertheless, these small ships were invaluable in the anti-U-boat war. Of the 123 corvettes that served in the Royal Canadian Navy, ten were lost to enemy action.

Corvette Street is located on property that was acquired by War Time Housing Limited and was the first of many developments during the war years built to help house the influx of workers required in Welland for the war effort.

Fleet Street was named on February 1, 1943, in honour of those who served in the Royal Canadian Navy and Merchant Navy fleets. It is located on property that was acquired by War Time Housing Limited and was the first of many developments during the war years built to help house the influx of workers required in Welland for the war effort.

Navy Street was named on February 1, 1943, in honour of those who served in the Royal Canadian Navy. It is located on property that was acquired by War Time Housing Limited and was the first of many developments during the war years built to help house the influx of workers required in Welland for the war effort.

Nelles Road is located on property that was acquired by War Time Housing Limited and was the first of many developments during the war years built to help house the influx of workers required in Welland for the war effort.

At the age of 16, Admiral Percy Walker Nelles joined the Canadian Fisheries Protection Service as a Naval Cadet in 1908. He first served in the Canadian Government Ship Canada. In 1910, at the start of the Naval Service of Canada, he joined HMCS Niobe for training. From 1913 to 1917, he trained with the Royal Navy.

Nelles became Flag Lieutenant to the Director of Naval Service in 1917. In 1920, he was appointed to the Naval Headquarters staff in Ottawa. In 1923, he returned to sea with HMS Caledon.

On promotion to Commander in 1925, Nelles was appointed Commanding Officer Pacific Coast. In 1930, he assumed command of HMS Dragon as acting Captain. The next year, he assumed command of the HMCS Saguenay as a Commander. In 1932, he was named Commander-in-Charge Halifax and promoted to Captain in 1933.

Nelles became Chief of the Naval Staff in January 1934. He was the first Canadian born and trained to do so. With that, came a promotion to Commodore First Class in July 1934. He was promoted to Rear-Admiral in 1938 and Vice-Admiral in 1941. In 1944, he was appointed Senior Canadian Flag Officer Overseas and Head of Canadian Naval Mission (London).

Nelles was promoted to Admiral when he retired from the Royal Canadian Navy in January 1945. He died on June 13, 1951. On May 16, 1994, this street was named in his honour.

Bishop Road is located on property that was acquired by War Time Housing Limited and was the first of many developments during the war years built to help house the influx of workers required in Welland for the war effort.

William Avery Bishop was born in Owen Sound, Ontario on 8 February 1894. During the outbreak of the Great War, he was a cadet at the Royal Military College, in Kingston. He enrolled in the 9th Mississauga Horse, Canadian Expedition Force, on 30 September 1914, and he later transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. Bishop, who already had the Distinguished Service Order and Military Cross, became the first Canadian Airman to be awarded the Victoria Cross for his single-handed early morning attack on an enemy airfield near Cambrai, France. On 2 June 1917, he found seven aircraft on the ground; he attacked and destroyed three, and was later credited with the destruction of the remaining four aircraft. Bishop continued air operations until August 1917 and returned to the front in June 1918. He emerged as the British Empire’s second highest scoring ace, with 72 official victories.

In the Second World War Bishop was an Air Marshal in the Royal Canadian Air Force and assisted in recruiting. He later died in Palm Beach, United States, on 11 September 1956.

This street is named on May 16, 1944, in honour of William Avery Bishop.

Dunkirk Road is located on property that was acquired by War Time Housing Limited and was the first of many developments during the war years built to help house the influx of workers required in Welland for the war effort.

On September 6, 1944, the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division marched eastward with the objective of clearing the entire coastal area east of Calais, including the heavily fortified port of Dunkirk, capturing the launching sites of German rockets and putting an end to their attacks on southern England. This park commemorates those who fought at Dunkirk.