In 1927, Mrs. Kathleen Davidson, a wealthy Toronto hotel owner, purchased a lot for a memorial park in memory of Lieutenant Walter T. Robus (Tommie). This lot had an abandoned house that was demolished and replaced by two stone cairns with lights and plaques. The park was dedicated on August 15, 1927.
Tommie Robus was born to Henry Hunt Robus and Annie Louise Germain in Shoreditch, London, England on August 15, 18942. At the age of 17, he immigrated to Canada on February 25, 1911 and became a farm labourer in Norwood. Tommie had enlisted in Norwood on August 15, 1914, and had a successful military career in the First World War before being employed by Mrs. Davidson in the years prior to his death. While working at the hotel, Tommie told stories of the war to Kathleen and her daughter Shon. Kathleen was impressed and considered him a friend as well as an employee.
During the First World War, Tommie was at both the Battle of Neuve Chapelle and the Battle of St Julien. He was a member of the 1st Brigade bomb throwers and also worked with the 10th Battalion. By June 7, he received a promotion to Corporal. On June 9, 1915, Tommie was wounded on the front at Festubert and Givenchy. He received a potato masher bomb in the jaw that cracked the jawbone, cut his mouth and broke teeth on one side. He spent about six weeks recuperating at the No. 2 Canadian General Hospital at Le Treport.
He was promoted to Lance Sergeant on November 15, 1915. Tommie's second injury occurred on January 1, 1916 at Wulverghem, Belgium when he received two gunshot wounds to his right thigh. He returned to the French front on April 19, 1917. On June 2 at the Battle of Sorrel in Ypres, Tommie was again injured. He received shrapnel in his right shoulder and was on his back for about two weeks. Tommie was only deemed fit to return to France on November 8, 1917. He was promoted to Lieutenant on January 26, 1918, but did not return to the front until June 8 when he was part of the 2nd Canadian Battalion, 1st Canadian Brigade.
After participating in the Battle of Amiens he was injured near Arras. This time the injury was to his chest and again he was dangerously ill. After treatment, he was discharged on October 21.
On July 26, 1927, the Council in Norwood agreed to placing two plaques on the cobblestone cairns at the park entrance and to care for the memorial park.
