British Columbia

This memorial was unveiled on 20 April 2010 and commemorates the service of two of the Battalions of The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada. Formed in Toronto in 1860, the regiment is Canada’s oldest continuously serving infantry unit. Two of its Regular Army Battalions were stationed in Victoria during the Cold War, 2nd Battalion returned from Korea in 1955 to Gordon Head Camp, now the University of Victoria prior to departure to Germany on 1957. The 1st Battalion returned from NATO duty in Germany in 1963 and was at Work Point Barracks until re-designated Third Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light infantry in 1970.

The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada have a long and proud record of service to Canada, fighting its first engagement in 1866 near Ridgeway, Ontario against Fenian Raiders from the United States. The deaths of nine soldiers at that time heralded sacrifices in campaigns throughout the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries serving in the North West Rebellion, Boer war, First and Second World Wars, Korea, NATO duty, Cyprus and other Peacekeeping Operations and today in Afghanistan.

This memorial symbolizes the dedication and sacrifice of soldiers of the regiment in war and peace. It reflects the affection, admiration and appreciation of all riflemen of The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada for their service to the regiment and to Canada of their Colonel-in-Chief, Her Royal Highness, Princess Alexandra, KG, GCVO. They celebrated her 50 years as their Colonel-in-Chief as well as their 150th birthday.

A grove of oak trees were dedicated on 4 May 2010 by Vancouver Island Chief and Petty Officers' Association to celebrate the Canadian Naval Centennial. Oak trees symbolize the historic relationship between the Canadian Navy and the Royal Navy. 

Prior to 2005, this twin 4” quick firing naval gun was placed adjacent to the Collier Building in Work Point, presented to building housing Her Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) Venture at the time. Venture was a Royal Canadian Navy establishment name, part of the Naval Officer Training Centre, which moved to Work Point after 3^rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry relocated in 1994. These British design guns were also built in Canada during the Second World War. They were mounted on Canadian built River class frigates, as secondary armament on cruisers and in the post-war years they replaced the twin 4.7" inch low angle guns on Canadian Tribal class destroyers. Although not used for coast defence on the west coast, some twin 4" inch guns of this type were used in the coast artillery role on Canada’s east coast.

The 5th (BC) Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery, has a strong historical connection to Esquimalt. The Victoria based army reserve unit unveiled a monument at Work Point Barracks on 18 May 2003, while commemorating its 125th anniversary and is a component of the Cultural Landscape of the "Saluting Battery." The regiment is a descendent of the first Canadian army unit that was stationed in Greater Victoria in 1878.

The memorial was established in recognition of the contributions “C” Battery, 1st Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery (RCHA), which was stationed at Work Point Barracks from 1887 – 1893. It was officially unveiled by retired Major General John Arch MacInnes, Colonel Commandant of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery, and Major Craig Dalton, who commands the modern day “C” Battery, RCHA from Shilo, Manitoba.

In 1871, when the colony of British Columbia joined the Dominion of Canada and became a province, the responsibility of defence for the new province passed from Great Britain to the Dominion. There were fears the remoteness of the west coast from the rest of Canada, would mean the region was poorly defended. On 20 July 1878, the Victoria Battery of Garrison Artillery was formed in response to a threat of war with Russia. The war never happened.

They fired their first round from a seven inch gun at Macaulay Point on July 26, about the first time the unit conducted a test run with one of its guns. Three days later, the 28 man unit fired a 13 gun salute for the opening of the third provincial assembly. The unit continued to operate coastal defence batteries at Macaulay Point until 1887 when they were replaced by “C” Battery.

In 1893, the unit was replaced by a garrison of Royal Marine Artillery, through an agreement between Canada and Great Britain. That unit was eventually augmented by the new 5th (BC) Regiment, Canadian Artillery in 1898. 

The Royal Canadian Artillery Association gunners presented a three inch anti-aircraft gun to Work Point Barracks on March 3, 1981. The gun is a permanent memorial marking the service of the Royal Regiment of Artillery at Work Point Barracks. The Regiment of Canadian Artillery first established itself in Victoria in 1887, “C” Battery moved into Work Point Barracks when it was completed in 1890. Since then, the artillery units and schools have remained on strength at Work Point until 1957.

The gun came from the Royal Canadian Artillery Museum in Canadian Forces Base Shilo, Manitoba and was refurbished by the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Maintenance Platoon. It is a three inch, 20 CWT, MK IIIA, quick firing anti-aircraft gun and was introduced in 1914. They were used during the Second World War and subsequently removed from service.

The 3" AA memorial gun was placed in the center of the defined "Saluting Battery" adjacent to the flag staff. On the left is the C Battery Memorial, on the right is the raised platform where the gun battery of the day was situated from 1890. At one time it facilitated four 12-pounder field guns for protection of Rose Bay and one 7" rifled muzzle loading cannon for Royal and local ceremonial gun salutes.

Building 1075 in Work Point Barracks was built for the Royal Garrison Artillery in 1902. A bronze plaque was embedded in the outside south wall next to the entrance in 1957 that is dedicated to Lieutenant-Colonel (Lt.-Col.) J.C. Cave, CD, Commandant of Esquimalt Garrison. After a period of 18 years absence, during which the battalion saw service in two wars, and a two year tour of duty in NATO, the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry returned to Work Point Barracks in 1957. Foresight on the part of Lt.-Col. J.C. Cave, in having renovations of the old barrack block begun prior to the arrival of the advance party, avoided a difficult situation in barrack room space. Lt.-Col. Cave was quartered in the same building while serving with B Company before the Second World War. 

Cave Block also retains the commemorative designation of Ypres Building in honour of the Canadians who through terrible fighting, withered with shrapnel and machine-gun fire, hampered by their issued Ross rifles which jammed, violently sick from a gas attack and gasping for air through soaked and muddy handkerchiefs, they held on during the First World War at the Battle of Ypres until reinforcements arrived. It was designated Ypres Building in 1977 by the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in honour of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry who fought in that battle and for which action they received a Battle Honour.

This cairn commemorates the three occasions that the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) garrisoned at Work Point Barracks, which total 52 years that they were stationed in Esquimalt. It was unveiled on June 8, 2014. PPCLI was founded for service in the First World War on August 10, 1914.

At the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry Association AGM in 2014, Jack Bates presented the idea of a commemorative cairn and it was well received. Jack's father, Captain A.A. Bates, was stationed with “B” Company, PPCLI at Work Point Barracks from 1921 to 1937. He transferred to Currie Barracks in Calgary from 1938 until 1945, retiring from the PPCLI  in 1947 in Victoria. He enlisted in Victoria in 1915 for the First World War.

Jack then ran into his friend, Tony Miller who worked for Western Grater, a local blasting firm. After hearing Jack's idea, they met at Bear Mountain development where they picked out a blasted rock. Tony delivered it within an hour to the side of the Guardhouse on Head street. The cairn was inscribed by Mortimer’s Monument Works. Larry Gollner, a retired Brigadier-General PPCLI  and the Association Vice President Ed Widenmaeir, a retired Warrant Officer PPCLI, helped with the inscription details. A time capsule was placed by Ed in the concrete pad under the cairn.

This interpretive panel was installed in 2018 by Parks Saanich on Shelbourne Memorial Avenue, in memory of the men and women from Saanich who served in the First World War.

The Sir Arthur Currie Interpretive Panel was installed in 2019 by Parks Saanich along Shelbourne Memorial Avenue.

This interpretive panel was installed in 2019 by Parks Saanich along Shelbourne Memorial Avenue, in memory of the British Columbians who were awarded the Victoria Cross during the First World War.