In 1936, Mrs. Charlotte Susan Wood from Winnipeg, Manitoba, became known as the first National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother when she placed a wreath on the tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Westminster Abbey in London, England, on behalf of all Canadian mothers who have lost a child in military service to their country.

On August 24, 1914, her son, Private Frederick Francis Wood, was killed at Mons, Belgium while serving with the Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment).

On May 5, 1917, a second son, Private Peter Percy Wood, was killed at Vimy Ridge while serving with the Canadian Infantry (Saskatchewan Regiment).

Mrs. Wood immigrated with part of her family from Britain to take up a 160 acre Dominion Land Grant northwest of Edmonton in September 8, 1911. Seven of Mrs. Wood’s sons/stepsons signed up to serve with either the Canadian or British army during the First World War, two did not return.

She was active with the Canadian Legion, Imperial Veterans of Canada, Comrades of the World, Association of War Widows and the Old Contemptibles Club in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

She was awarded the George V Jubilee Medal in 1935. While on a pilgrimage to attend the unveiling of the Vimy Ridge Memorial in July 1936, Mrs. Wood was presented to King Edward VIII. Seizing the opportunity she said to him, "I have just been looking at the trenches and I just can’t figure out why our boys had to go through that."

He replied, “Please God, Mrs. Wood. It shall never happen again.”

Canada’s famous war mother died three years later, just weeks after the start of another world war. She was buried in an unmarked grave in Winnipeg’s Brookside Cemetery. A new gravestone was erected over 60 years later.

Mrs. Catherine Lewis was the National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother from 1937 to 1941. For these five years, she represented all mothers who lost a child in military service to Canada. During the national Remembrance Day ceremony each year, she laid a wreath at the base of the National War Memorial on their behalf.

On November 27, 1915, her son, Henry Bartle Lewis, was killed in Belgium while serving with the Canadian Infantry (Eastern Ontario Regiment).

On November 18, 1916, a second son, Private Charles Walter Lewis, was killed in France while serving with the Canadian Infantry (Eastern Ontario Regiment).

When the Secretary of State wrote Mrs. Lewis asking her to represent the mothers at the unveiling, she replied that she would rather not. Later the Prime Minister sent back word to her that he would have nobody else, so she could not refuse. Four of her sons served in the First World War. Jack was in the artillery and Stephen served with the mule transport in Montreal. They all went overseas in the first contingent.

Mrs. Lewis was born in Dublin, Ireland and came to Canada in 1853 when she was 18. She died at the age of 91.

Mrs. Sarah Wilkins Lamplough of Ottawa, Ontario, was the 1942 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother. During the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa on November 11, 1942, she laid a wreath at the base of the National War Memorial on behalf of all mothers who have lost a child in military service to Canada.

On May 9, 1915, her son, Corporal Leonard Alderson Lamplough, was killed in action while serving with the Canadian Field Artillery.

On July 10, 1918, her second son, Gunner Frank Wilkins Lamplough, was killed in the line of duty also while serving with the Canadian Field Artillery.

Mrs. Edith Louisa Coldrey of Ottawa, Ontario, was the 1943 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother. During the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa on November 11, 1943, she laid a wreath at the base of the National War Memorial on behalf of all mothers who have lost a child in military service to Canada.

On May 3, 1917, her son, Sapper Kendall Augustus Coldrey, was killed while serving with the Canadian Engineers.

Mrs. Jessie Isobel Olga McCleery from Ottawa, Ontario, was the 1944 - 1946 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother. During the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa on November 11, 1944 - 1946, she laid a wreath at the base of the National War Memorial on behalf of all mothers who have lost a child in military service to Canada. She was the first Second World War bereaved mother to be selected.

On December 17, 1942, her son, Flying Officer Raymond Norman McCleery, was killed in action while serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Mrs. Martha Labarge from Ottawa, Ontario, was the 1947 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother. During the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa on November 11, 1947, she laid a wreath at the base of the National War Memorial on behalf of all mothers who have lost a child in military service to Canada.

On September 30, 1942, her son, Flight Sergeant Leo John Labarge , was killed in action while serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

On March 12, 1943, a second son, Pilot Officer Bernard Henry Labarge, was killed on a bombing mission over Germany while serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Mrs. Labarge had two sons overseas serving in the RCAF. In a sad twist of fate, she received news of both sons death in the same week in March 1943.

A native of Montréal, Québec, Martha Theresa Labarge (née O’Rourke) married Charles Henry Labarge, a native of Hungerford Township near Tweed, Ontario, on September 2, 1912. Following their move to Ottawa, they had five boys and one girl, four of whom served during the Second World War in one capacity or another.

Mrs. Labarge was heavily involved in community affairs during her days in Ottawa. She was well known for her prowess in fundraising and adopted a number of charities. She was President of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Ottawa General Hospital, President of the Catholic Church Extension Society, a director of the Ottawa Neighborhood Services, and director of St. Mary’s Home for the Aged. She was an active member of the Canadian Red Cross and the Ottawa Community Chest (the forerunner of the United Way) as well as the Ladies’ Auxiliary of St. Vincent Hospital and of Immaculata High School.

Mrs. Catherine Helen MacDonald of Ottawa, Ontario, was the 1948 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother. During the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa on November 11, 1948, she laid a wreath at the base of the National War Memorial on behalf of all mothers who have lost a child in military service to Canada.

On April 30, 1941, her son, Sergeant Neil Richardson MacDonald, was lost at sea while serving with the Corps of Military Staff Clerks.

On October 20, 1941, a second son, Sergeant Ian Alistair MacDonald, was killed in action while serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Mrs. Marie Aline D’Aoust of Ottawa, Ontario, was the 1949 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother. During the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa on November 11, 1949, she laid a wreath at the base of the National War Memorial on behalf of all mothers who have lost a child in military service to Canada.

On August 14, 1944, her son, Lieutenant Gerard Raoul D’Aoust, was killed during the fighting between Caen and Falaise while serving with the Le Régiment de Maisonneuve.

Mrs. Susan Beasley of Ottawa, Ontario, was the first National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother to be chosen by The Royal Canadian Legion in 1950. During the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa on November 11, 1950, she laid a wreath at the base of the National War Memorial on behalf of all mothers who have lost a child in military service to Canada.

On June 12, 1944, her son, Aircraftman 1^st Class William Harold Beasley, was killed while serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

On December 24, 1944, her second son, Flying Officer Joseph Ronald Beasley, was killed also while serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Her husband, John Beasley, was a soldier during the First World War and heroically survived despite the loss of one of his legs.

Mrs. Alice Rochon of Ottawa, Ontario, was the 1951 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother. During the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa on November 11, 1951, she laid a wreath at the base of the National War Memorial on behalf of all mothers who have lost a child in military service to Canada.

On April 25, 1945, her son, Major Robert Lionel Rochon, was killed while serving with Le Regiment de la Chaudière, RCIC.

Mrs. Rochon was the mother of nine children, four served in the Second World War. The youngest was a sergeant with the Royal 22^nd Regiment in the Korean War.