British Columbia

This memorial is dedicated to the local veterans of the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War.

In 2009, a scholarship fund was named in honour of Captain Jonathan Sutherland Snyder at Penticton Secondary School.

Born in Penticton, British Columbia, on 20 December 1981, Jonathan graduated from Penticton Secondary School in 1999. From the age of 12, Jonathan was an army cadet and joined the Army in September 1999 as an Regular Officer Training Plan candidate. Graduating from the University of Victoria in 2003, Jonathan served in the 1^st Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry based in Edmonton. He had three overseas deployments, serving as a platoon commander in Afghanistan for eight months in 2006, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, for three months in 2007, and again in Afghanistan in 2008 as part of the mentoring program, training troops in the fledgling Afghan National Army.

Just days prior to his death, while on patrol in Kandahar with Canadian and Afghan soldiers, his team was attacked on three sides. Snyder displayed extraordinary courage under fire and managed to battle to safety, saving the lives of dozens of Afghan and Canadians. For his bravery and leadership under fire, he was awarded the Star of Military Valour, Canada’s second highest award. Three days later on 7 June 2008 while on a night patrol in Zhari District, Snyder slipped into an unmarked irrigation well and, due to the weight of his equipment, was unable to stay afloat and drowned.

Erected by Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 192, this memorial is dedicated to the local war dead of the First and Second World Wars and in memory of the Korean War. The Keremeos Cenotaph was constructed between the years of 1948 and 1953, in memory of those who served in the First World War, the Second World War, and the Korean War. In June 1967, the Cenotaph was moved to its present location. The Cenotaph was recently upgraded with funding support from the Royal Canadian Legion and the Village of Keremeos.

This memorial is dedicated to the local war dead. The City of Hope erected the memorial. A bronze plaque is mounted on a section of natural rock from the area, sitting atop a concrete base. It is approximately nine feet tall. Hope is located about 150km east of Vancouver, is at 42m above sea level with a population of 7,000.

Presented by local Japanese-Canadians to the town of Hope on 27 July 1991, this garden is dedicated to the memory of the Japanese-Canadians interned in the Tashme Camp, east of Hope, during the Second World War.

Erected by Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 228, this memorial is dedicated to Canadian veterans.

The Merritt Cenotaph was largely the work of the local Ladies’ Auxiliary of the Great War Veterans’ Association. It was constructed by Patterson, Chandler, and Stephen Ltd. out of Vancouver and W.R. Chandler personally oversaw the placement of the monument. The cenotaph was unveiled on 6 November 1921, and dedicated to those who died in the First World War. Later, inscriptions were added for the South African War, Second World War and Korean War.

To recognize the 75th birthday of the City of Merritt, the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 96 restored the cenotaph on the courthouse lawn. Over $6,000.00 was raised for the project that included renewing the walkway, cleaning, replacing missing letters and placing black granite slates around the base. Unveiling and rededication took place following a parade on 23 July 1986.

On 5 November 2008, the cenotaph was moved to the Merritt Civic Centre.

Corporal Donald Hastings served with the Canadian Army in Korea. He is the only soldier from North Vancouver killed in the Korean War and the only soldier from British Columbia whose body was never recovered.

Corporal Hastings was born in North Battleford, Saskatchewan on 20 March 1929. He moved to British Columbia and completed grade 10 at North Vancouver High. During his school days he participated in Cadets. He enlisted in the Canadian Army on 26 July 1945 and served in the Merchant Navy, Canadian Army Pacific Force from 25 July 1945 to 14 June 1946. He was honorably discharged and earned the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal.

He re-enlisted on 17 January 1949 and was posted to the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry in Calgary, Alberta. Corporal Hastings was sent to Korea, arriving on 30 January 1952. He was part of the Sniper Section and was killed in action during the Richardson Patrol on 15 October 1952. The area was overran by the enemy and heavily shelled by Canadian Gunners. No trace of Corporal Hastings was found.

Hastings Lake was named as part of the Remembrance Day ceremonies on 11 November 2005. Guy F. Black researched and submitted the name proposal to Government if British Columbia. His only connection was being a next door neighbour and friend to Corporal Hastings' sister-in-law Phyllis Hastings. Guy Black served in the Engineer Corps, Cadets and Reserves.

A ceremony was held on 15 September 2013 at Hastings Lake. It is located is deep in the backcountry and requires a long hard hike or a helicopter ride to reach. The lake was chosen with the help of North Shore Rescue. A commemorative plaque was installed by the team in advance and the ceremony was arranged around their training schedule. They helped Guy Black with the eight-year journey to honour a man so few know anything about.

Lynn Valley is named in honour of Sapper John Linn, Royal Engineers, a member of the Columbia Detachment, a military unit that served in the lower mainland of BC from 1859 to 1863. The Linn family name was frequently misspelled “Lynn”, and that spelling of the neighbourhood name came into use at an early date. The name was used early to identify this area, but registered for use with the Government of Canada on July 19, 1979.

John Linn was born at Corstorphine, Edinburgh in July 1821, and joined the Army in 1846. He served in Halifax, Nova Scotia from 1848 to 1857, marrying Mary Robertson just before returning to England. In 1859, he sailed for British Columbia with his family, as a member of the Columbia Detachment of the Royal Engineers. A mason by trade, Linn had his part in the construction of roads and buildings and other projects in the newly established colony. When the Detachment was disbanded in October 1863, he chose to remain in the colony rather than return to England. In 1869 he moved his family from New Westminster to a house he built on the north shore of Burrard Inlet just east of what is now Lynn Creek. He worked as a mason and also logged, providing lumber for wharf construction in the area. Unfortunately, his new life in British Columbia was short lived as he fell seriously ill in 1875. He later died of a stroke in April 1876.

Lynn Peaks is named in honour of Sapper John Linn, Royal Engineers, a member of the Columbia Detachment, a military unit that served in the lower mainland of BC from 1859 to 1863. The Linn family name was frequently misspelled “Lynn”, and that spelling of the mountain name came into use at an early date. The name was used as early as 1878 to identify this area, but registered for use with the Government of Canada on December 7, 1937.

John Linn was born at Corstorphine, Edinburgh in July 1821, and joined the Army in 1846. He served in Halifax, Nova Scotia from 1848 to 1857, marrying Mary Robertson just before returning to England. In 1859, he sailed for British Columbia with his family, as a member of the Columbia Detachment of the Royal Engineers. A mason by trade, Linn had his part in the construction of roads and buildings and other projects in the newly established colony. When the Detachment was disbanded in October 1863, he chose to remain in the colony rather than return to England. In 1869 he moved his family from New Westminster to a house he built on the north shore of Burrard Inlet just east of what is now Lynn Creek. He worked as a mason and also logged, providing lumber for wharf construction in the area. Unfortunately, his new life in British Columbia was short lived as he fell seriously ill in 1875. He later died of a stroke in April 1876.