The Volunteer War Memorial
Municipality/Province: Almonte, ON
Memorial number: 35040-001
Type: Wall - granite, statue - bronze
Address: Little Bridge and Bridge Streets
GPS coordinates: Lat: 45.2257152 Long: -76.1940524
Submitted by: Terry MacDonald. Joseph Leblanc. Colonel Andre D. Gauthier (CF Ret'd). MBdr Paul Charlebois. Mark Ward.
Photo credit: Louise Bellec
The Volunteer was sculpted by R. Tait McKenzie and dedicated on 11 September 1923. It was constructed in memory of the men of Almonte who fell in the First World War. The memorial was requested by Alexander Rosamond in a letter he wrote to his family in July 1916. He was a lieutenant in the Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry and if he did not return, he hoped a memorial could be built in a central place in Almonte "to the men of Almonte who fell for freedom."
Lieutenant Alex Rosamond was killed in action at Courcelette during the Battle of the Somme on 15 September 1916. His widow asked Dr. Robert Tait McKenzie, a former local, to create the memorial. Dr. McKenzie, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, returned after an absence of nearly 40 years to construct this monument. Most of the work was done at the home of Mrs. Alex Rosamond in the garage at Pinehurst on Union Street. Mrs. Rosamond wanted the memorial to have a likeness to her late husband and the statue was based on photographs of him. The finished work looked so much like her late husband that she had it changed. She also left $1000.00 for the memorial's upkeep.
It is said that "The Volunteer" recalls the spirit of adventure of Dr. McKenzie's own early days in Almonte. This poem called "The Volunteer" was written by Ethel McKenzie, Dr. McKenzie's wife.
He watches - in a little northern town,
Through winter cold and parching summer heat,
Where quiet folk go simply up and down,
O'er stony bridge and narrow crooked street.
He guards - alone - alert, with clenched hand,
In readiness with his young manhood's might,
To spring to action at a word's command,
Uphold his honour and defend his right.
He watches - while the children leave their play.
To lay their garlands clustered at his feet,
Zinnias and asters from home gardens gay,
In little hands held close and warm and sweet.
He smiles - he leans - and every winsome maid
Feels in her heart this joyous chivalry,
And lads look starry - eyed and unafraid
To grow to manhood strong and brave as he.
He watches. Oh, ye men with him who fell!
Mighty of valour, bold, unflinching free!
Here, in this place, your spirits seem to dwell,
Drawn to the home of your mortality.
He waits! Nor shall his vigil be in vain,
Men like to him shall ever pay the price;
Shun all dishonour, scorn the thought of pain,
And make the great immortal sacrifice!
Additions were later made for the Second World War, Korean War and Peacekeeping. The memorial was refurbished in 1967.
Inscription found on memorial
[front/devant]
TO THE MEN OF ALMONTE WHO FELL FOR FREEDOM
| FRANK ABRAM | 1914 | W. FORSYTHE | J.T. KIRKLAND | 1918 | E.A.P. PLUNKETT |
| EDWIN K. AITKEN | FARQUHAR C. FRASER | THOMAS KNIGHT | ALEX G. ROSAMOND | ||
| E. AMOURETTE | ARCHIBALD GREIG | ARCHIBALD KEAN | JAMES SINCLAIR | ||
| WM. ALFRED BERRY | ROY DICKENSON | FREDERICK HAYNES | THOMAS W. LEE | PETER J. MOORE | SAMUEL SYKES |
| LOUIS C. BOLTON | WILLIAM DYSON | JOHN HOLLAND | JOHN MCDOUGALL | ROBERT NAISMITH | ROBERT WEEKS |
| FRANK S. BROWN | WILLIAM EVOY | EDWARD HOUSTON | GEORGE E. McGREGOR | LESLIE OWRID | ARTHUR WHITE |
| ROBERT H. COCHRAN | GEORGE FAIRBAIRN | EDWARD HOUSTON | JAMES P. McGUIRE | C. PARKER | ROY WILSON |
| THOMAS R. COLLIER | WILLIAM FAIRBAIRN | A.H. ILLINGWORTH | HARRY McINTOSH | F.J. PARKIN | JAMES WRIGHT |
| J.P. CORKERY | SAMUEL FISHER | JAMES JOSS | ALLAN McPHAIL | ARTHUR C. PAUL | ARCHIBALD WYLIE |
| JOHN L. CLEARY | ARTHUR E.G. STRATFORD |
THE
VOLUNTEER
ERECTED TO CARRY OUT A BEQUEST
MADE BY THE LATE
LT. ALEXANDER GEORGE ROSAMOND P.P.C.L.I.
KILLED AT COURCELETTE
SEPTEMBER 15, 1916
KOREA 1950 - 1953
PEACEKEEPING
1939 - 1945
WALLACE BLAKELY
DONALD BADOUR
WILMER CAMELON
DON CAMERON
FRANK CAVERS
BERT DUNCAN
F. DALGITY
FRANK FISHER
ALEX. GOODALL
1939 - 1945
RAYMOND HOUSTON
WM. HEFFERMAN
GEORGE JACKMAN
RUSSELL JAMES
CARL LEE
1939 - 1945
JOSEPH LALONDE
J.F. LAVIGNE
EDGAR LEE
JAMES McINTOSH
KENNETH MILLER
1939 - 1945
JAMES PYE
LLOYD REID
HAROLD K. SCHULTZ
NORMAN SMITH
RAYMOND STANLEY
WM. STANLEY
J. MAC STEWART
V. STEWART
HAROLD STOKES
Street view
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