Old Soldier, War of 1812 Memorial
Municipality/Province: Toronto, ON
Memorial number: 35091-026
Type: Statue - bronze, granite shaft, bronze plaque
Address: 10 Niagara Street
Location: Victoria Memorial Square
GPS coordinates: Lat: 43.6426305 Long: -79.4002043
Submitted by: Sandra Lougheed. P. Spearns.
Photo credit: Tim Laye, Ontario War Memorials
The Old Soldier, War of 1812 Memorial was erected by the British Army and Navy Veterans' Association. It honours the dead of the War of 1812 and was erected on the site of an old burial ground used between 1794 and 1863 for soldiers and their families from nearby Fort York.
The cornerstone was laid on July 1, 1902, and featured a time capsule, including newspapers, coins, and other documents of the day. Veterans of several wars were on hand for the ceremony, including those who had served in the Crimean War, Second Opium War, India’s First War of Independence, Second Anglo-Aghan War, Fenian Raids, North-West Rebellion, and the South African War. The official unveiling was on July 5, 1907, after nearly 20 years of planning and fundraising.
The memorial was designed and constructed by Walter Seymour Allward. He designed a bronze half-length figure of an old one-armed soldier in uniform of 1812, holding his military cap, the George IV medal on his chest and the end of one empty sleeve pinned up. Allward emphasizes the Veteran's powerful response to the suffering caused by war and the experience of the misery of war is reflected in his haunted expression and pose.
Inscription found on memorial
[front/devant]
"DEAD IN THE BATTLE - DEAD ON THE FIELD;
MORE THAN A LIFE CAN A SOLDIER YIELD?
HIS BLOOD HAS BURNISHED HIS SABRE BRIGHT;
TO HIS MEMORY, HONOR: TO HIM GOOD NIGHT."
THIS MONUMENT IS TO PERPETUATE
THE MEMORY AND DEEDS OF THE OFFI-
CERS, NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS AND
MEN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE DE-
FENCE OF CANADA IN THE WAR OF 1812-1815,
AND IS ERECTED BY THE BRITISH ARMY
AND NAVY VETERANS RESIDING IN TORON-
TO, AIDED BY GENEROUS SUBSCRIPTIONS
FROM THE BRITISH ARMY AND NAVY, AND
THE CITIZENS OF CANADA.
JULY 1ST, 1902.
BATTLE-FIELDS
RIVER CANARD CHRYSLER'S FARM FORT GEORGE
BEAVER DAMS DETROIT LUNDY'S LANE
BLACK ROCK FORT NIAGARA THAMES
CHATEAUGUAY FORT ERIE STONY CREEK
YORK
[right side/côté droit]
IN MEMORY OF OFFICERS, NON-COM
MISSIONED OFFICERS AND MEN WHO
DIED WHILE STATIONED WITH THEIR
REGIMENTS OR COMPANIES OF REGI-
MENTS OR BATTERIES OF ARTILLERY
AND CAVALRY AT YORK (TORONTO) DUR-
ING THE PERIOD THAT BRITISH TROOPS
WERE SERVING IN UPPER CANADA.
| 13TH HUSSARS | 23RD REGIMENT | 47TH REGIMENT |
| ROYAL ARTILLERY | 24TH " | 68TH " |
| MILITARY TRAIN | 29TH " | 71ST " |
| ROYAL ENGINEERS | 30TH " | 79TH " |
| 1ST REGIMENT | 32ND " | 81ST " |
| 6TH " | 34TH " | 83RD " |
| 8TH " | 40TH " | 85TH " |
| 15TH " | 41ST " | 89TH " |
| 16TH " | 42ND " | 93RD " |
| 17TH " | 43RD " | RIFLE BRIGADE |
| ROYAL VETERAN REGT. | ROYAL CANADIAN RIFLES | |
| " NAVAL ARTIFICERS | YORK RANGERS MILITIA | |
| " NEWFND'LD. REGT. | GLENGARY FENCIBLES |
INCORPORATED MILITIA
[back/arrière]
IN MEMORY OF OFFICERS, NON-COM-
MISSIONED OFFICERS AND MEN WHO
WERE KILLED, DIED OF WOUNDS AND DIS-
EASE, IN THE FOLLOWING REGIMENTS
OR COMPANIES OF REGIMENTS ENGAGED
DURING THE WAR OF 1812-1815 UPON THE
WESTERN CANADIAN FRONTIER, WEST OF
KINGSTON.
| ROYAL ARTILLERY | ROYAL ENGINEERS | |
| 19TH DRAGOONS | 41ST REGIMENT | 100TH REGIMENT |
| 1ST REGIMENT | 49TH " | 6TH " |
| 103RD " | 82ND " | 104TH " |
| 8TH " | 89TH " |
| ROYAL VETERAN REGT. | SIMCOE MILITIA |
| " NEWFOUNDLD REGT. | GLENGARY FENCIBLES " |
| PROV. DRAGOONS MILITIA | YORK RANGERS " |
| WATTSVILLE REGT. " | ST MORFOLK " |
| CANADIAN FENCIBLES " | COLOURED CORPS & INDIANS |
[left side/côté gauche]
DEFENCE OF YORK
NOW TORONTO
IN MEMORY OF OFFICERS, NON-COM-
MISSIONED OFFICERS AND MEN WHO
WERE KILLED OR DIED OF WOUNDS IN
THE FOLLOWING REGIMENTS OR COM-
PANIES OF REGIMENTS ENGAGED IN THE
DEFENCE OF YORK (TORONTO).
APRIL 27TH 1813.
ROYAL ARTILLERY
ROYAL NAVAL ARTIFICES
8th REGIMENT (OF FOOT)
ROYAL NEWFOUNDLAND REGIMENT
CLENGARY FENCIBLES MILITIA
INCORPORATED MILITIA
Street view
Note
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