Ontario

This memorial was dedicated on November 11, 1956, to Veterans and local men killed in action in the First and Second World Wars. Plaques have subsequently been added to recognize the Korean War, post-war operations and Afghanistan. It was erected by the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 442. The unique three-sided stone and brick construction has one side dedicated to each of the major conflicts of the 20th century.

The cenotaph was restored in 2012, at which time the plaques were removed for corrections and additions. Research by Phil Gravelle led to Alexander Cochrane being added to the list of First World War soldiers in 2015.

The Bolton Cenotaph was unveiled on October 21, 1921, in the presence of a large crowd, including many Veterans of the Great War. With solemn and fitting ceremony the memorial was erected in honour of the fallen heroes and of those who carried on in the Great War.

When all had assembled at the cemetery, the chairman, Reeve D.B. Kennedy, of Bolton called on Rev. R.B. Beynon to open the ceremony with prayer. Mrs. Peter Munro, of Albion, who lost two sons in the war, was then asked to unveil the monument, and as the ties were released and the large flags fell away, exposing the monument to public gaze, Heggie Herbert, late bugler in the 126th Peel Battalion, sounded the Last Post. Several mothers who had lost their sons in the war, came forward and laid wreaths and flowers on the cenotaph. The school children marched past in two lines and reverently deposited their bouquets. Among the floral offerings was a beautiful wreath, donated by the Dale Estate of Brampton.

The chairman explained that the committee had seen fit to include among the names on the monument, not only those who were living here at the time of their enlistment, but also the sons of local families who joined the colours at other points, as well as a few who had spent their early days amongst us. A sealed jar, deposited in the foundation of the memorial, contained the names of all the men from this district who served during the war, also the names of the committee and other data usually recorded in this manner.

An adjournment was made to the rink where speeches were delivered by Rev. P.N. Knight, Anglican minister of Bolton, Samuel Charters, M.P., Major Kennedy, M.P.P., W.J. Lowe, Herbert Taylor, Rev. J.P. Treacy, of Toronto, John Anderson and Wm. N. Riddell, and deputy-reeve respectively, of Albion township. The speakers, one and all, paid eloquent and sincere tribute to the heroism and patriotism of the men who laid down their lives while fighting on our behalf on the battle fields of Flanders, and complimented the people of the district on erecting the memorial to their memory. Fitting reference was also made to the service rendered our country by the other brave lads who took part in the great struggle but were fortunate enough to return.

The committee in charge of the erection of the memorial was composed of the following: Robert Smith, chairman; Bert Mellow, secretary-treasurer; T.J. Roe, Thomas Cooke, Anson McCabe, Isaac Steele, Charles H. Rutherford, D.B. Kennedy, George Downey, Ernerson Westlake, J.A. Wilkie, John Cairns, Albert Robinson, John Lake and F. N. Leavens. Among those who were expected to speak at the unveiling but who were prevented by the inclement weather were Rev. Canon Cody, Hon. Edmund Bristol, Hon. R.H. Grant and Hon. Manning Doherty.

The cenotaph was located immediately inside the present main entrance to Laurel Hill Cemetery, on the left side of the road, where it remained undisturbed for almost half century. In 1969, it was moved to the south end of Centennial Drive near Queen Street.

The cenotaph was designed and erected by the Thompson Monument Company of Toronto. Constructed of Canadian granite, the memorial is admitted to be a work of art, and conveys a story full of meaning. In front is the sarcophagus on which lie a rifle, bayonet, helmet and belt of a private soldier, the whole entwined with laurel leaves. The shaft contains on front and back the names of fifty-six fallen heroes, arranged according to the date of their death. The committee has recognized the fact that death has eliminated all distinctions, therefore no rank of the fallen men is recorded.

The shaft is supported on each side by the Altar of Sacrifice. Emanuel Hahn's statue design represents the sorrows caused by war. The soldier atop the cenotaph looks down in sadness at the ground below him, as if he might find there, his fallen comrades, if not for the tragedy of war. The statue depicts a young, grieving Canadian soldier in First World War army uniform. With uncovered head, he is standing at a battlefield grave – a simple cross with poppies at the base – the final resting place of a comrade killed in action. His left hand rests on the cross, while his right hand holds a reversed rifle. His whole attitude expressive of reverent yet manly courage as he views the bier of his fallen comrade. Around the base is engraved the names of 21 battles, from Ypres to Mons.

Emanuel Hahn moved to Toronto at the age of seven with his family of artists and musicians from Germany, in 1888. He studied commercial design and model-making at Toronto Technical School and Ontario College of Art and Industrial Design. At 25 years old Hahn began a nearly lifelong contract with Thomson Monument Company of Toronto. Two years later, he also started work as a studio assistant to sculptor Walter Seymour Allward. Part of his duties included assisting on Allward’s significant works such as the South African War Memorial in Toronto.

In 1912 Hahn began an association with the Thomson Monument Company of Toronto. It was there, along with several assistants, he made the many war memorials that are found across Canada: Fernie, British Columbia; Killarney and Russell, Manitoba; Alvinston, Bolton, Cornwall, Hanover, Lindsay,  Malvern, Milton, Petrolia and Port Dalhousie, Ontario; Gaspe, Quebec; Moncton, New Brunswick; Springhill and Westville Nova Scotia; Summerside, Prince Edward Island.

Hahn is probably most famous as the designer of the Bluenose on the back of the Canadian dime and the Caribou on the back of the Canadian quarter. He was a victim of anti-German sentiment in the years following the Great War, when his design for the Winnipeg Cenotaph was rejected in 1925.

The two brass plaques on the Caledon East Cenotaph were originally part of a concrete cenotaph in front of the Caledon East Branch 292 Legion Hall. The Caledon East Legion Hall was built in 1923 to commemorate the men who served in the First World War. The Legion first purchased the building and lot (front half of Lot 10) from Mr. Evans. The building was eventually tom down and a one-story hall built in its place.

On November 11, 1944, mem­bers of the local Canadian Legion and citizens of the village and surrounding communities gathered at the Legion Hall to pay tribute to those who had made the supreme sacrifice in the previous Great War and a beautiful cenotaph, erected by the members of the local Legion, was unveiled in their honour. The cenotaph was designed by First World War Veteran Norman Hutchinson.

On either side of the path leading to the front entrance of the building were two cenotaphs, one for each of the two World Wars. They were made of concrete, approximately two feet wide by three to four feet high, with a cross on top. The names of the men were printed on a plaque made of felt that was put onto a wooden back and encased in glass in the centre of the cenotaph. When this deteriorated, another was made of metal and the names were engraved on it.

In the early hours of April 26, 1959, the Caledon East Legion Hall burned to the ground. The loss was estimated at $20,000 and the cause of the fire was unknown. With the help of members and others, a new cement block hall was built. The Ladies Auxiliary worked very hard to equip the new kitchen, built cupboards, purchased a piano and supplied other necessities. The hall was dedicated on June 6, 1960, but in 1974 when a larger facility was needed the building was sold to the Town of Caledon for $32,000, to become the Caledon East Community Memorial Hall for local seniors. The two cenotaphs were demolished, but the plaques were preserved.

In June 2004, the Town of Caledon moved the memorial to a place of greater prominence, in front to the newly renovated Town of Caledon Administration Centre. A formal re-dedication ceremony was held on November 11, 2004.

This memorial was erected by the Royal Canadian Legion in 1946 in memory of those who served in the First and Second World Wars. When the new memorial was built, the inscribed stone from the front of the old memorial was removed and placed in front of the new memorial. Inscriptions for the Korean War and Afghanistan were also added.

This Sherman tank was installed in memory of the Governor General's Horse Guards who gave their lives in the Second World War.

On May 16, 1920, a bronze tablet was unveiled honouring Wesley Methodist Church parishioners who gave their lives in the First World War. A fire destroyed the church at Dundas Street West and Ossington Avenue on the evening of 22 November 1957. The congregation did not rebuild.

On October 25, 1966, the auditorium at Sunnybrook was dedicated as Warriors Hall in honour of Veterans of the Armed Forces.

Following the First World War, a bronze tablet was unveiled at All Saints Church dedicated to the 28 parishioners who died in the war. 

On April 7, 1918, three Toronto Vimy Ridge heroes plaques were unveiled in three different Toronto Anglican churches. Captain Boutler's plaque is located at the Church of the Redeemer and Lieutenant Kappele's plaque is at St. Paul's Anglican Church. The Lieutenant William Henderson Gregory Plaque was unveiled in the All Saints Anglican Church by Captain Samuel A. Dyke. Thomas O’Meara, Principal of Wycliffe College, offered the dedicatory prayer and Dr. Hallam delivered the sermon. The tablet was donated by the congregation. 

William was born in Toronto on March 4, 1890, the son of Staff Inspector Robert Gregory. He became a private with the 2^nd Queen’s Own Rifles Primary Reserve, attended the University of Toronto and Wycliffe College, and was an ordained deacon in 1915. He was appointed curate to St. Thomas' Church, St. Catharines and was a member of the 19^th Lincoln Militia Regiment when he enlisted with the 98^th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force on January 3, 1916. While fighting with the 4^th Battalion at Vimy Ridge, Lieutenant Gregory was killed by shrapnel on April 9, 1917. He was survived by his wife, Esther Lenore Gregory.

Alfred Joseph Casson was born in Toronto, Ontario, on 17 May 1898. At age 15 his father sent him to work as an apprentice at a Hamilton lithography company. By 1919, Casson worked for Franklin Carmichael at a commercial art company as a commercial designer, producing labels and advertisements. Seven years later, Casson took a management position with Sampson-Matthews, a prominent midtown Toronto lithography and commercial art company.

During the Second World War, Sampson-Matthews, Casson and other Group of Seven artist alumni, including A.Y. Jackson, wanted to support the war effort, but were too old to serve. Jackson served as an official war artist during the First World War and it was his idea of a partnership between Sampson-Matthews and the National Gallery, to distribute thousands of silk screen prints of Canadian paintings to army camps that housed troops in Canada as well those serving overseas. It was funded by the Department of National Defence, National Gallery and corporate sponsors. Jackson, Casson and Sampson-Matthews executives viewed the plan as a morale booster and a way of making Canadian art widely available. The company produced 7,500 prints. After the war ended, Sampson-Matthews expanded its art program, targeting schools and companies. 

Casson also created wartime commercial art, including Maclean’s covers and posters promoting war bonds. His half-brother, John Earnest Casson served in the First World War and arrived in France April 1918. On 8 August, he was hit by shrapnel in the head, right arm and left shoulder. John was unconscious for three days. After recovering in the hospital overseas, he was medically unfit for service and discharged on 25 March 1919 in Toronto. Casson won first prize with a poster that was part of the 1st Victory Loan campaign launched in June 1941 with the theme "Help Finish the Job!" The poster features an heraldic lion and a maple leaf in the foreground, and images of factories, a tank, and a warplane in the background.

After the Second World War, Casson designed an honour scroll template to be filled with Veterans’ names from schools, churches and other organizations. Sampson-Matthews printed the scrolls in large numbers. Casson filled in the names of Veterans on some, while others were filled in by Sampson-Matthews’ calligraphers. His scroll is beautifully designed, with Casson’s name or initials near the bottom. Some organizations also ordered a scroll to honour their First World War Veterans. It’s unclear how the scrolls were distributed, but there are hundreds, possibly thousands, of Alfred Joseph Casson’s First and Second World War scrolls hanging in schools, churches, legions and other community spaces across Canada.