Newfoundland & Labrador

Beaumont Avenue, an improvement on what was said to be an old logging or portage, was built in 1916-20, in memory of Beaumont-Hamel, France, which was a major battleground during the Battle of the Somme. The location in which 92 per cent of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment was either killed or wounded, many from Grand Falls.

Other streets named from Battles from the Great War include: Suvla Road, Polygon Road, Monchy Road, and Perrone Road. Haig Road was named for the British Field Marshall, later so vilified for the failure of the Somme Offensive, who commanded the British Expeditionary Force, which included the Royal Newfoundland Regiment.

The Glenwood War Memorial was dedicated on October 26, 2019. There were 63 people from Glenwood who went to war. The ceremony was attended by Lieutenant Governor Judy Foote and federal, provincial, municipal and military officials and representatives. 

Made of granite from the United States, the memorial is located at the heart of the park at the end of a walkway of crushed stone. Information tablets are on either side of the walkway, a row of donated cedar trees are located on the right side and a white chain link fence along the left side. To the left of the memorial are three flag poles.

On Saturday, August 8, 2015 the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada (QORC) monument was unveiled at the Gander Heritage Memorial Park. This stone marker was unveiled to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada in Newfoundland during World War 2 on Saturday, August 10, 1940. They arrived by ship into the Port of Botwood on that same day, some stayed in Botwood and the remainder moved on to Gander by train. Their mission was the defense of Newfoundland by providing security for both strategic airfields at Botwood and Gander.

This commemorative event was organized by The Maritimes Newfoundland Branch of the QORC. A similar stone marker was unveiled in Botwood the next day Sunday, August 9. The QORC was assisted by 91 Construction Engineering Flight of 9 Wing Gander for both stone markers. 9 Wing Gander also provided the public address system and the music for the singing of "O Canada" and "God Save the Queen" for Friday's ceremonies in Gander.

BACKGROUND
(from the unveiling ceremonies' program)

The Ferry Command Memorial was dedicated by the Reverend Wesley Oake on September 17, 2017. Ferry Command, a collaborative effort of civilians, the Royal Air Force, the Royal Canadian Air Force, and other allies, was an ambitious effort to transport combat aircraft manufactured in Canada and the United States to Second World War operational airfields in the United Kingdom, and other theatres of war.

To avoid catastrophic losses incurred by sea transport, the plan was to fly the aircraft across the North Atlantic Ocean. Given that there had been fewer then 100 successful air crossings of the Atlantic Ocean, the transatlantic flights of Ferry Command were an exercise in ingenuity, determination, and immense bravery.

On the evening of November 10, 1940, seven Lockheed Hudson bombers, led by Captain C.T. Bennett, departed Gander to attempt the 2,100 mile crossing of the Atlantic to Great Britain. Eleven hours later all seven aircraft landed successfully in Northern Ireland.

Over the course of the War, almost 3,500 civilian and military personnel from 23 allied nations (including 1500 Newfoundlanders) played roles in Ferry Command. Of the 10,000 aircraft designated for trans-Atlantic delivery, an unanticipated 95% arrived safely. A significant number of flights across the North Atlantic departed Gander at night and during the winter months. At least 560 personnel lost their lives in these efforts.

The Point Leamingtom War Memorial, located in the Town Park, was constructed in 1985 in memory of the First and Second World Wars, and Korean War Veterans. It was erected by the Town of Leamington and the Royal Canadian Legion of Botwood.

This Memorial was unveiled on August 16th, 1991, in memory of Dr. Sir Frederick Banting (discoverer of insulin), F/O William Bird, co-pilot, and R/O William Snailham, Radio. This Memorial is 2 feet by 2 feet by 2 feet, and 3 inches thick. It is made of marble stone that was constructed by Muir's Stone Cutters in St. John's. Muir's Stone Cutters also donated the plaque.

The memorial was constructed in May 1922 in memory of the soldiers killed in action, The July Drive, WWI 1914-1918. The monument has a base 18"x18"x20", a tower 16"x16' base 7" at top which is 56" high. A caribou is carved at the base and the word "Newfoundland". The names of the soldiers are on the lower square block. It is brownish marble and is polished against weather conditions. The memorial is located on the main street in front of the Public Building (The Jesse Russell Building).

The memorial was constructed on June 1st, 1947, in memory of The Royal Navy and Regiment who were killed in action during WWII 1939-1945. The Diamond Lodge Public Subscription erected the memorial. The memorial is a square base block 20"x20"x16', a second block 16"x16"x4", and a tower 12"x12"x38" high. The names of all those who served are engraved on the front and sides of the monument. The monument is made of gray granite, polished against weather conditions.

Memorial Avenue was built after the Second World War, between 1946 - 1948. It was built with the assistance of the government and the Anglo-Newfoundland Development Company who formed a new housing division called the Grand Falls Ex-Serviceman's Housing Association Ltd. The executive consisted of Bill Lannon, George Forward and Bill Cool.

The first 14 houses were built of the same design specifically for Veterans. The Great War Veterans Association leased the land from the Anglo-Newfoundland Development Company at 1c per annum. Rent was 32.50 a month. The Anglo-Newfoundland Development Company provided water, sewer and power lines to the street. One home was situated closer to the mill for an employee who was injured in the war. 

Depending on the time of the year the Anglo-Newfoundland Development Company provided employment for close to 3000 men. During the summer months over 1500 worked at the mill. A large proportion of those on the payroll were young military aged men. The shortages in manpower created by enlistments also caused issues at the mill. Women and boys well below military age were employed in the mill. Hundreds of outport workers were also brought in.

There were 600 volunteers for the First World War from the area, most of which worked in some way for the Anglo-Newfoundland Development Company. The company was heavily involved in the forming and supporting the Newfoundland Forestry Corps. Many of the men who enlisted were either too young or too old to go into the fighting services or had been discharged from the Newfoundland Regiment after being wounded at the front. 

Over 60 men were lost from the town, most of which worked in some way for the Anglo-Newfoundland Development Company. The Goodyear family alone sent five sons overseas (they worked in cartage and as woods contractors for the company) with their only daughter serving as a nursing sister. Three of the five boys would end up on the war memorial.

The company had guaranteed the men who served that they would be hired back in either their old positions or higher paying positions. The company started a new house building program during the war in the area behind Church Road.

The Memorial Wall of the 125th Newfoundland Squadron of the Royal Air Force was constructed by surviving squadron members in 1996 in memory of all Newfoundland Airmen who lost their lives while serving with the Allied Air Forces in the Second World War. The monument consists of seven black granite stelia, (left to right):

• Stele 1: The Airmen's Prayer with the Royal Canadian Air Force crest engraved at the top. Stelia 2, 3, 5 and 6 list the names of 87 Airmen and one Airwoman who lost their lives during the Second World War. Each are engraved with four well-known aircraft of the Second World War.
• Stele 2: Sunderland Flying Boat representing coastal command.
• Stele 3: Super marine Spitfire representing fighter command.
• Stele 4: The figure of an Airman in full flying kit, topped by the crest of the 125 (Newfoundland) Squadron Royal Air Force.
• Stele 5: Mosquito of 125 Squadron representing night fighter and various other commands.
• Stele 6: Avro Lancaster, a bomber used by the 125th Newfoundland Squadron.
• Stele 7: The poem "High Flight", topped by the Royal Air Force crest.

The base inscription is from a poem by Ena Constance Barrett, of Corner Brook, Newfoundland, a Second World War Bride.

The 125th Newfoundland Squadron were night fighters, flying De Havilland Mosquitoes over the English Channel. The group responsible for the memorial was headed by Royal Cooper, one of the founding members of the North Atlantic Aviation Museum. Father Ray Cole also assisted with the memorial. It was to be located outdoors, but the group decided to place it within the museum, which was being planned at more or less the same time, until a suitable outdoors location was chosen. The North Atlantic Aviation Museum was built in 1995, opened in 1996 and the memorial was placed along the back wall with a Book of Remembrance inside a glass enclosed case that sat on a pedestal in front of the memorial.

Around 2004, an additional name was added to the inscription. At the time of the original engraving, the group knew they might not have found all the aviators who had died in the Second World War, so a space was purposely left at the end. A visitor stated that his relative’s name should be on the memorial. People had said this before, but for whatever reason (not an Aviator, not a Newfoundlander, etc.) this usually came to nothing. The manager of the museum did some research and the name did belong on the memorial. When the inscriber looked for a place, it so happened that the new name fit alphabetically at the bottom of the 3^rd list - Rowsell, Triffie Pearl.

In 2015, the memorial was moved to its current location and rededicated on July 23, 2015.