The Nipissing Junction Second World War Honour Roll hangs in a room at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 599 West Ferris.
Second World War Honour Roll
Sign in to My VAC Account
Sign in to My VAC Account
The Nipissing Junction Second World War Honour Roll hangs in a room at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 599 West Ferris.
The Nipissing Junction School Second World War Honour Roll hangs in a room at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 599 West Ferris that was the original Nipissing Junction School.
The Honour Roll was hanging in the township office until West Ferris was amalgamated into North Bay. Luckily, the township entrusted the Honour Roll to Tod Russel's father and it made its way into the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 599 West Ferris.
[front/devant]
REMEMBERING ALL WHO HAVE SERVED
SE SOUVENIR DE TOUS CEUX QUI ONT SERVI
ROYAL
CANADIAN
NAVY
MARINE
ROYALE
CANADIENNE
CANADIAN
ARMY
ARMÉE
CANADIENNE
ROYAL
CANADIAN
AIR FORCE
AVIATION
ROYALE
CANADIENNE
MÉMORIAL NIPISSING JUNCTION - WEST FERRIS MEMORIAL
[right side/côté droit]
BRANCH 599
[left side/côté gauche]
BRANCH 599
[plaque from original cenotaph]
TO THE MEMORY OF THOSE
THAT GAVE THEIR ALL THAT WE
MAY LIVE IN FREEDOM
W.W.1 - 1914-18
W.W.2 - 1939-45
KOREAN CONFLICT
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM
The Mémorial Nipissing Junction - West Ferris Memorial was installed by Signature Memorials Ltd., Orillia, Ontario on August 3, 2023, and dedicated in a special ceremony on the anniversary of the Battle of Britain, September 17, 2023. The memorial was designed by Signature Memorials, Meredith Park and Len Davis, MMM, CD11.
The three tablets represent the three arms of the Canadian Armed Forces - Navy, Army and Air Force. The capstone joins all three tablets in a common purpose. Each arm of the Canadian Armed Forces has a crest engraved on their tablet. The new cenotaph honours all men and women who served during a time of conflict, with the inscription “REMEMBERING ALL WHO HAVE SERVED” on the capstone. There are two maple leaves and three poppies on the capstone.
Names were not inscribed on the memorial, because like an unknown soldier, missing the name of a soldier on a memorial would be unthinkable. That being said, this memorial was dedicated during the ceremony, on September 17, 2023, to the following known war dead from the Nipissing Junction - West Ferris area:
Donald Williamson MacKenzie - B143824
Robert Albert Charland - J29054
Orval McParland - B89029
Russell Turcotte - B110352
John Glenn - J36021
John George Mervyn Sparling - B11852
Harry Horace Pennell - B42738
The brass plaque from the original cenotaph will be placed on a pillow stone in front of the memorial.
The current location of the West Ferris Legion Branch 599 was a public school built in 1934 which schooled many of the men and women who signed up to go to war. For a small rural school, it sent its fair share of soldiers to fight.
The Poppy symbol is used with the permission of the Royal Canadian Legion. Badges and names is used courtesy of and with permission of the Department of National Defense.
DEDICATED BY THE EMPLOYEES OF
THE BELL TELEPHONE COMPANY OF CANADA
IN MEMORY OF
WALLACE B. BLAKELY
WHO GAVE HIS LIFE
IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR
1939 — 1945
This plaque was dedicated by North Bay employees of the Bell Telephone Company of Canada in honour of their comrade who gave his life in the Second World War. It is not known where the plaque is located now.
IN MEMORY OF
LIEUTENANT DONALD WELLMAN
Lieutenant Donald Wellman was killed in a helicopter crash on October 10, 1991. A 408 "Goose" Tactical Helicopter Squadron, CH-135 Twin Huey (tail number 115) from Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Namao (Edmonton), crashed 10 miles west of Burk's Falls. Although there were two survivors, both of whom were thrown clear of the crash, Lieutenant Wellman did not survive. A plaque was added to the memorial at the crash site by the Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR) Team from CFB North Bay in 2005. The Canadian Forces Museum of Aerospace Defence received this piece in 2015 and it is currently in storage.
Through the combined efforts of the North Bay air base, CFB 22 Wing, and the Vic Fell Memorial Legion Royal Canadian Legion Branch 405 in Burk’s a memorial stone was made out of granite rock commemorating Wellman’s death. The 22 Wing created the plaque, while Burk’s Falls legion supplied the stone. Originally to be placed where the helicopter went down, due to land permission it was moved the Canadian Forces Museum of Aerospace Defense in North Bay. The handing over ceremony was held at Burk’s Falls legion on January 18, 2015.
[front/devant]
Yukla 27
In memory of/en mémoire de
LtCol Richard G. Leary (USAF)
Maj Richard P. Stewart II (USAF)
Maj Marion R. Thomas (USAF)
Maj Steven A. Tuttle (USAF)
Capt Robert J. Long (USAF)
Capt Bradley W. Paakola (USAF)
Capt Glenn "Skip" Rogers Jr. (USAF)
1st Lt Carlos A. Arriaga (USAF)
MSgt Stephen C. O'Connell (USAF)
Sgt David L. Pitcher (CF)
TSgt Mark A. Bramer (USAF)
TSgt Mark A. Collins (USAF)
TSgt Bart L. Holmes Sr. (USAF)
TSgt Ernest R. Parrish (USAF)
TSgt Charles D. Sweet Jr. (USAF)
TSgt Timothy B. Thomas (USAF)
TSgt Brian K. Van Leer (USAF)
MCpl/cplc Jean-Pierre J. Legault (CF)
SSgt Scott A. Bresson (USAF)
SSgt Raymond O. Spencer Jr. (USAF)
SrA Lawrence E. DeFrancesco (USAF)
SrA Joshua N. Weter (USAF)
Amn Jeshua C. Smith (USAF)
Amn Darien F. Watson (USAF)
[back/arrière]
NORTH AMERICAN AEROSPACE DEFENSE COMMAND
AWACS supports the North American Aerospace Defence (NORAD)
Command. 22 Wing is home to NORAD's Canadian Air Defence Sector
(CADS). The CADS and AWACS often work together to exercise
Canada's air sovereignty and protect North America from air threats. Any
one of us could have been a part of that mission on that day - operators
and technicians, working side-by-side, delivering an operational effect.
We share the same purpose, the same calling, the same profession. Yukla
27 is part of our heritage - we will remember them.
L'AWACS offre un support au Commandement de la défense aérospatiale de
l'Amérique du Nord (NORAD). La 22e Escadre abrite le Secteur de la défense
aérienne du Canada (SDAC) de NORAD. Le SDAC et l'AWAC travaillent
fréquemment ensemble pour assurer la souveraineté aérienne du Canada et
protéger l'Amérique du Nord des menaces aériennes. N'importe qui d'entre nous
aurait pu faire partie de cette mission ce jour-là; opérateurs et techniciens
travaillant côte-à-côte, produisant un impact opérationnel. Nous répondons au
même appel; partageons un but similaire et une profession semblable. Yukla 27
fait partie de notre patrimoine - nous nous souviendrons d'eux
On Wednesday, September 22, 2010, at 0747 hrs, Alaskan Daylight Savings Time, exactly 15 years later, Colonel Malo, Wing Commander of 22 Wing/Canadian Forces Base (CFB) North Bay, unveiled a monument dedicated in memory to the crew of the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) E-3 call sign Yukla 27 that went down just outside Elmendorf Air Force Base (AFB), Alaska in 1995.
The new monument, centrally located at 22 Wing/CFB North Bay, is an especially fitting tribute to those who perished on that fateful day given that one of the Canadians, Sergeant David L. Pitcher, an Aerospace Control Operator, served at 22 Wing. The new operations complex, which opened in October 2006, and is home to the Canadian Air Defence Sector (CADS), has been rightly named in his honour. The four-sided etched black granite houses a replica of the aircraft, (tail number AF770354), mounted on top. The front side lists the names, ranks, and nationalities of the 24-member crew. The other three sides display details of the accident, outlines the role of the AWACS, and describes 22 Wing’s ties to North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and the AWACS community.
Yukla 27 was airborne for only 40 seconds before the flight ended in tragedy. Accident investigators officially confirmed that the crash was caused by bird strikes.
[front/devant]
(arch/arche)
THEY DIED FOR THE LOVE OF PEACE
LE SACRIFICE ULTIME POUR LA PAIX
[left wall panels]
(panel 1/panneau 1)
WORLD WAR I
1914 — 1918
- THE ARCHDUKE FRANCIS FERDINAND OF AUSTRIA-HUNGARY WAS ASSASSINATED BY A SERBIAN IN JUNE 1914.
- AUSTRIA-HUNGARY DECLARED WAR ON SERBIA.
- GERMANY DECLARED WAR ON RUSSIA AND FRANCE.
- GERMANY INVADED BELGIUM.
- CANADA AND BRITAIN DECLARED WAR ON GERMANY 04 AUGUST, 1914.
- CANADA AND HER ALLIES WON THE WAR WHICH ENDED NOVEMBER 11, 1918 AT 11:00 A.M.
- CANADA SUFFERED 66,655 WAR DEAD. THOSE WHO DIED FROM NORTH BAY ARE:
PREMIERE GUERRE MONDIALE
1914 — 1918
- L’ARCHIDUC FRANCOIS-FERDINAND D’AUTRICHE-HONGRIE EST ASSASSINE PAR UN SERBE EN JUIN 1914.
- L’AUTRICHE-HONGRIE DECLARE LA GUERRE CONTRE LA SERBIE.
- L’ALLEMAGNE DECLARE LA GUERRE CONTRE LA RUSSIE ET LA FRANCE.
- L’ALLEMAGNE ENVAHIT LA BELGIQUE.
- LE CANADA ET LA BRETAGNE ONT DECLARE LA GUERRE CONTRE L’ALLEMAGNE LE 4 AOUT, 1914.
- LE CANADA ET SES ALLIES GAGNENT LA GUERRE. CELLE-CI PREND FIN LE 11 NOVEMBRE 1918 A 1100 HEURES.
- 66,655 CANADIENS TOMBENT AU CHAMP D’HONNEUR. PARMI NOS COMBATTANTS, CEUX QUI ONT DONNE LEUR VIE ET QUI VENAIENT DE LA REGION DE NORTH BAY SONT :
(panel 2/panneau 2)
(panel 3/panneau 3)
(panel 4/panneau 4)
(panel 5/panneau 5)
SOUTH AFRICAN
(BOER) WAR
1899 — 1902
- BRITISH ATTEMPTS TO ANNEX THE BOER REPUBLICS OF TRANSVAAL AND ORANGE FREE STATE LED TO WAR WITH THE BOERS.
- IN 1899 THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT SENDS AN ARMY GROUP TO SUPPORT THE BRITISH.
- DURING THE THREE YEAR WAR, 164 CANADIANS LOST THEIR LIVES. NINE NORTH BAY AND AREA VETERANS SERVED, NONE DIED.
GUERRE DES BOERS
(AFRIQUE DU SUD)
1899 — 1902
- LES BRITANNIQUES TENTENT D’ANNEXER LES REPUBLIQUES BOERS DU TRANSVAAL ET L’ETAT D’ORANGE. CES ACTIONS MENENT A LA GUERRE AVEC LES BOERS.
- EN 1899, LE GOUVERNEMENT CANADIEN ENVOIE DES TROUPES POUR SOUTENIR LES BRITANNIQUES.
- DANS LA REGION DE NORTH BAY, 9 VETERANS ONT SERVI. AUCUN N’A PERDU LA VIE.
(panel 6/panneau 6)
UNITED NATIONS
AND
NORTH ATLANTIC
TREATY
ORGANIZATION
MISSIONS
1947 — 2000
- THE CANADIAN FORCES HAVE PARTICIPATED IN VIRTUALLY EVERY UN AND NATO MISSION SINCE THE SUEZ CRISIS OF 1956.
- OVER 125,000 CANADIANS HAVE SEEN ACTION IN AFRICA, THE MIDDLE EAST, THE CARIBBEAN, CENTRAL EUROPE AND SOUTH EAST ASIA.
- THOSE WHO DIED FROM THE NORTH BAY AND AREA ARE:
(panel 7/panneau 7)
MISSION DE
L’ORGANISATION
DES NATIONS—UNIES
ET DU TRAITE DE
L’ATLANTIQUE NORD
1947 — 2000
- LES FORCES CANADIENNES PARTICIPENT PRATIQUEMENT A TOUTES LES MISSIONS DE L’ONU ET DE L’OTAN DEPUIS LA CRISE DE SUEZ EN 1956.
- PLUS 125,000 CANADIENS PARTICIPENT AUX OPERATIONS QUI SE DEROULENT EN AFRIQUE, AU PROCHE-ORIENT, EN EUROPE CENTRALE, EN ASIE DU SUD-EST ET AUX CARAIBES.
- VOICI LES NOMS DES PERSONNES DE LA REGION DE NORTH BAY QUI SONT MORTS :
[right wall panels]
(panel 1/panneau 1)
WORLD WAR II
1939 — 1945
- SEPTEMBER 1, 1939, GERMANY INVADED POLAND.
- SEPTEMBER 3, 1939, GREAT BRITAIN AND FRANCE DECLARED WAR ON GERMANY.
- SEPTEMBER 10, 1939, CANADA DECLARED WAR ON GERMANY.
- FOLLOWING JAPAN’S ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOUR, HAWAII, DECEMBER 7, 1941, CANADA JOINED THE U.S.A. BY DECLARING WAR ON JAPAN.
- 1,081,865 CANADIANS SERVED IN WWII. THOSE WHO DIED FROM THE NORTH BAY AND AREA ARE:
SECONDE GUERRE MONDIALE
1939 — 1945
- LE 1ER SEPTEMBRE, 1939, L’ALLEMAGNE ENVAHIT LA POLOGNE.
- LE 3 SEPTEMBRE, 1939, LA GRANDE-BRETAGNE ET LA FRANCE DECLARENT LA GUERRECONTRE L’ALLEMAGNE.
- LE 10 SEPTEMBRE, 1939, LE CANADA DECLARE LA GUERRE CONTRE L’ALLEMAGNE.
- LE 7 DECEMBRE, 1941, LE JAPON ATTAQUE PEARL HARBOUR, DANS LES ILES HAWAII. CETACTE POUSSE LE CANADA, DE CONCERT AVEC LES ETATS-UNIS, A DECLARER LA GUERRECONTRE LE JAPON.
- 1,081,865 CANADIENS PARTICIPENT AUX OPERATIONS. CERTAINS VENAIENT DE LAREGION DE NORTH BAY ET CEUX QUI FURENT TUES SONT :
(panel 2/panneau 2)
(panel 3/panneau 3)
(panel 4/panneau 4)
(panle 5/panneau 5)
(panel 6/panneau 6)
KOREAN WAR
1950 — 1953
- JUNE 23 1950, NORTH KOREA INVADES SOUTH KOREA.
- CANADA JOINS THE U.N. FORCES TO PUSH THE NORTH KOREAN AND CHINESE MILITARY BACK TO THE ESTABLISHED BORDER.
- AFTER 3 YEARS OF WARFARE, AN ARMISTICE WAS SIGNED JULY 27, 1953.
- DURING THE WAR IN KOREA, 26,791 CANDIAN SAW ACTION.
- 1,558 SERVICEMEN WERE WOUNDED AND 516 WERE KILLED.
- 157 SERVED FROM THE NORTH BAY AREA THOSE KILLED ARE:
GUERRE DE COREE
1950 — 1953
- LE 25 JUIN 1950, LA COREE DU NORD ENVAHIT LA COREE SE SUD.
- LE CANADA SE JOINT AUX FORCES DES NATIONS UNIES POUR REPOUSSER LES NORD-COREENS ET LES TROUPS CHINOISES A LA FRONTIERE EXISTANCE.
- UN ARMISTICE EST SIGNE LE 27 JUILLET 1953. A L'ISSUE DE TROIS ANNEES DE CONFLIT.
- 26,791 MEMBERS DES FORCES CANDIENNES PARTICIPENT AUX OPERATIONS.
- 1,558 MILITAIRES SON BLESSES, 516 TUES.
- 157 DE NOS MILITAIRES VENAIENT DE LA REGION DE NORTH BAY CEUX QUI ONT DONNE LEUR VIE SONT :
(panel 7/panneau 7)
GULF WAR
1991
- 1990 IRAQ INVADES NEIGHBOURING OIL-RICH KUWAIT.
- 1991 THE UNITED NATIONS SUPPORTED BY CANADA PUSHES IRAQ TO THEIR HOMELAND BY MILITARY FORCE.
- THE WAR SAW 4,074 CANADIANS INVOLVED, NONE WERE KILLED.
- 40 PERSONNEL FROM THE NORTH BAY AREA SAW ACTIVE SERVICE, NONE DIED.
LA GUERRE DU GOLFE
1991
- EN 1990, L'IRAQ ENVAHIT LE KUWAIT, LEUR VOISIN RICHE EN PUITS D'HULE.
- EN 1991, LES NATIONS-UNIES, SUPPORTEES PAR LE CANADA REPOUSSENT L'IRAQ VERS LEUR PAYS AU MOYEN D'UNE LARGE FORCE MILITAIRE.
- CETTE GUERRE IMPLIQUE 4,074 CANADIENS, AUCUN NE FUT TUE.
- 40 PERSONNES DE NORTH BAY ETAIENT ENGAGES EN SERVICE ACTIF, NUL NE PERD LA VIE.
[back/arrière]
(arch/arch)
THEY DIED FOR THE LOVE OF PEACE
LE SACRIFICE ULTIME POUR LA PAIX
In the mid-1990s, a group of Veterans formed an organization called Project Flanders to commemorate all who served their country. They raised over $700,000 to construct the Memorial Wall. The Committee was the product of all 11 Royal Canadian Legion Branches in the North Bay area and 25 Municipal and First Nations of the area.
Made up of 14 seven-feet high granite walls, each weighing up to six tons, the 95 foot wide Memorial Wall recognizes the South African War, First World War, Second World War, Korean War, Gulf War, and United Nations/North Atlantic Treaty Organization missions from 1947 - 2000. The bilingual wall contains the names of 636 war dead of the 8,850 area personnel who served in the Canadian Forces.
The North Bay Memorial Wall was erected in 2000 and sits behind the North Bay Cenotaph. Its archway accesses the Memorial Gardens and Field of Honour. Etched on each inside wall of the archway is an image of an angel carrying a deceased soldier to heaven at the moment of his death.
Architects were Critchley, Delean, Trussler, Evans and Bertrand of North Bay. Research - Chairman Edmond V. Nicholson CD. Photograph - Kevin Scully. Contractors were GAP Construction Co Ltd. North Bay and Signature Memorials, Orillia Ontario. The project was overseen by Project Flanders Committee of the Royal Canadian Legion Branches 23 and 599. Branch 23 is located next door to the Memorial Park.
The Vimy Ridge Memorial Wall is also located here.
[front/devant]
IN HONOURED
MEMORY
OF THE MEN OF
NORTH BAY
WHO SERVED
FOUGHT AND DIED
FOR FREEDOM
AND HUMANITY
IN THE
GREAT WAR
1914 + 1919
CAMBRAI LENS
BOURLON WOOD
BEAUMETZ GIVENCHY
THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE
[right side/côté droit]
HONOUR ROLL
REGINALD ADSHEAD
JOHN ANGUS ROBERT ASHTON
JOHN BARNHART
JOSEPH BARTHOLOMEW
JOHN CLIFTON BLANCHET
LLOYD BOAL W.E. BRYANT
THOMAS JOHN BRENNAN
MARTIN BRENNAN
EDGAR BURRITT
A. MACD CAMPBELL
THOMAS ED CAMPBELL
HAROLD WATSON CAVANAUGH
FRED CHIDLEY WILFRID COOKE
GEORGE CONNELLY
ARTHUR DAVIES DEACON
REGINALD DELANEY
A. DOUGHTY ARTHUR DOXSEE
ED DUBROY FRED J. DUDLEY
WILBERT LEONARD DURRELL
STEWART DURRELL
LAURENT DUPUIS
SIDNEY GEORGE ELMS
WILBERT FERGUSON
RANDALL FORDER
1914 + 1919
ST. ELOI LA SOMME
PASSCHENDAELE
ST. JULIEN ST. QUENTIN
[back/arrière]
HONOUR ROLL
THOS. GALLAWAY JAMES GASPE
PETER GAUDETTE
MORTON GERRIE MAT GREEN
JOHN B. GILCHRIST
BERNARD HARVEY ROY HENLEY
JOHN HERESEY
ALBERT HILL AMEDEE HOULE
CHARLES ADELBERT HOLBROOK
EDGAR HOULDSWORTH
JAMES HUME ROSWELL JESSUP
LEONARD KIDD COLIN C. KING
JOHN LARONDE DAN LARRIVEE
HAROLD LONGMIRE
THOMAS E. MARTIN
JOHN A. MARTIN EDGAR MARTYN
JOHNSON Y. MATCHETT
HARRY F. MIDDLETON
DUNCAN JAMES MacLEOD
MELVILLE MacLEOD
CLARK McCANN
MALCOLM ARTHUR McDONALD
Wm. McDONALD HUGH McDONALD
MALCOLM McDONALD
OSCAR McDONALD
1914 + 1919
VIMY COURCELETTE
SANCTUARY WOOD
FESTUBERT HOOGE
THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE
[left side/côté gauche]
HONOUR ROLL
RODERICK McDONNELL
ALEX L. McKENZIE DAN McNULTY
JOHN Wm. NEW JOHN NOLAN
FRED NORMANDEAU
HERBERT C.J. OSBORNE
GEO. PENNELL GUY S. PUNCHER
VERGIL R. PHELPS DONALD ROSS
FRANK RIGBY ALBERT F. SALMON
NOBLE SCULLAND
ARTHUR SEGUIN JOS. ST. ARNAUD
EDWIN CHARLES SHEPHERD
ALBERT SMITH THOMAS SMITH
ALEX C. SOUTER FRED STANLEY
Wm. STEPHEN FRANK STREETER
DELBERT STREETER
ARTHUR ISAAC TANDY
LOUIS D. THERIEN
H.S. TAYLOR TILLEY
LYALL TORRANCE CYRIL VIDAL
LESLIE M. VALIN HOMER G. VARIN
ROBERT F. WALLACE
IRVINE L. WALLACE
GEO. WOODWARD ALBERT WRIGHT
WILLIAM SPENCE FRASER
1914 + 1919
MONS YPRES
ARMENTIERES
ARRAS AMIENS
[plaque]
MEMORIAL PARK
CENOTAPH STATUE
NORTH BAY HERITAGE SITE
The city block bounded by Fraser, First, Ferguson, and Second became the site of the North Bay Normal School, which opened in 1909 and still stands at the corner of First & Fraser. In 1917, the province deeded the remainder of the tract for use as a Memorial Park to commemorate those who gave their lives in WWI.
Almost 2400 local folk served in the "Great War" and an actual physical "war memorial" was originally proposed for Terrace Lawn Cemetery. However in June 1922, the Normal School park was chosen as the site. The Agriculture and Parks Committee of Council, with input from local school children and well-known sculptor Harold French (who helped plan the Vimy Memorial), came up with the design for the actual physical memorial. In order to raise the better than $15,000 cost, a public subscription was organized helped by grants from the town council. The Ladies Auxiliary of the Great War Veteran's Association staged a house-to-house canvass and a Soldiers Memorial Committee was formed, which was able to profit from circus license fees, other charges and fines from the town.
The 2000-pound monument itself was crafted by Canadian sculptor C.D. McKenzie of Toronto. The largest monument cast in bronze in Canada at the time, it measures 26'6" from base to statue top with the statue of a Canadian soldier with bared bowed head, measuring 8'6" in height, standing on some 60 tonnes of granite. The soldier is everyman, the universal soldier with no rank or unit identification; his right hand holds a laurel wreath and rests on a cemetery marker and his left holds his helmet over his heart. The base holds a North Bay dedication and is engraved with the names of important WWI battles. The contractors were Andrew Craig of North Bay and McIntosh Granite of Toronto.
September 17th 1922 saw the official unveiling of the monument in a well-attended ceremony, which involved Provincial Lieutenant-Governor Henry Cockshutt, North Bay Mayor John Ferguson, other local dignitaries, a Guard of Honour, a band, various military officers and other ranks as well as cadets, scouts and club representatives. November of that same year, the first official Armistice Day ceremony took place at the cenotaph. In 1923, through a series of agreements between the municipal and provincial governments, Memorial Park was created and officially named at the November ceremony of that year, which drew an overflow response of some 4,000 citizens including some 100 veterans and the Salvation Army Band.
In 1925, North Bay officially became a city and a mammoth Old Home Week festival took place, which saw Memorial Park the scene of many celebrations and gatherings.
Branch 23 of the Royal Canadian Legion was granted its official charter in 1926 and had it offices on First Avenue, opposite the Normal School. In 1987, a new Legion Hall was opened right beside the Normal School, only a few yards from the cenotaph itself.
In 1975, the Legion installed an Honour Wall for veterans of the two World Wars, designed by former soldier and City Recreation Director Sam Jacks.
In the mid 1990's, a group of war veterans formed an organization called Project Flanders to commemorate all who served their country. Project Flanders would raise over $700,000 to construct the Wall of Honour. Made up of 14 seven-foot high granite walls, each weighing up to 6 tons apiece, the Wall of Honour recognizes each of the seven wars and UN/NATO Missions of the 20th century, including World Wars One and Two, as well as the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
The bilingual Wall contains the names of 636 war dead of the 8850 area personnel who served in the Canadian Forces. At the rear of the 95 foot wide wall are over 700 commemorative stones recognizing veterans who survived the wars.
Some 2,400 local folk served in the Great War and an actual physical war memorial was originally proposed for Terrace Lawn Cemetery. However in June 1922, the Normal School park was chosen as the site. The Agriculture and Parks Committee of Council, with input from local school children and well-known sculptor Harold French (who helped plan the Vimy Memorial), came up with the design for the memorial. To raise the better than $15,000 cost, a public subscription was organized helped by grants from the town council. The Ladies Auxiliary of the Great War Veteran's Association staged a house-to-house canvass and a Soldiers Memorial Committee was formed, which was able to profit from circus license fees, other charges and fines from the town.
The 2,000 pounds monument was crafted by Canadian sculptor C.D. McKenzie of Toronto. The largest monument cast in bronze in Canada at the time, it measures 26'6" from base to statue top with the statue of a Canadian soldier with bared bowed head, measuring 8'6" in height, standing on some 60 tons of granite. The soldier is everyman, the universal soldier with no rank or unit identification; his right hand holds a laurel wreath and rests on a cemetery marker and his left holds his helmet over his heart. The base holds a North Bay dedication and is engraved with the names of important First World War battles. The contractors were Andrew Craig of North Bay and McIntosh Granite of Toronto.
September 17, 1922, saw the official unveiling of the monument in a well-attended ceremony, which involved Provincial Lieutenant-Governor Henry Cockshutt, North Bay Mayor John Ferguson, other local dignitaries, a Guard of Honour, a band, various military officers and other ranks as well as cadets, scouts and club representatives.
The bronze statue is 8' 6" high and the entire memorial is 26' 6" tall. Before the memorial was erected, the park was donated by the local school and trees were planted, dedicated to the dead from the Great War. The statue was first used for Armistice Day ceremonies in 1922. The memorial was designed by C.D. McKenzie and constructed by Andrew Craig of North Bay and the McIntosh Granite Company of Toronto.
The North Bay Cenotaph was subsequently dedicated to those who served, and died in action, during Second World War and the Korean War.
The North Bay Memorial Wall and the North Bay Vimy Ridge Memorial Wall are also located in Memorial Park.
[front/devant]
LEST WE FORGET
N'OUBLIONS JAMAIS
[plaque]
M113 A2 - Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC)
Canadian Forces
Service Dates: January 1966 to December 2000
General
Length 191.5"
Width 105.75"
Height 86.5"
Clearance 16"
Weight, combat loaded 27,180 lb. (12,329 kg)
Maximum weight 31,000 lb. (14,061 kg)
Net weight 22,880 lb. (10,832 kg)
Air drop weight 22,128 lb. (10,037 kg)
Personnel capacity 2 + 11
Fuel tank capacity 95 gallons (360 liters)
Ground pressure 8.63 psi (0.60 kg/cm2)
[plaque]
A Canadair CP-107 Argus on partol visually identifies
a Canadian Oberon-class diesel electric submarine.
First entering service in the Royal Canadian Air Force
in 1958, the Argus was primarily an anti-submarine
Aircraft although it had other responsibilities as well.
There were 13 Argus Mk.1s, and 20 Argus Mk.2s,
the latter sporting upgraded radar systems. The
Argus flew its last servicer mission on 24 July, 1918.
SPONSOR 2015
BELISLE INVESTMENTS
NORTH BAY, ON
CRAFTED BY:
REG FOURNIER
BORN:
CORBEIL ON 1943
This granite memorial was unveiled on June 6, 2012. The project was started by two Veterans in a presentation to municipal council. In 2010 a committee was formed and fundraised over $200,000 to build the cenotaph.
The monument is approximately eight feet tall and four feet wide. It is constructed of red and grey granite made to resemble the Canadian flag, including a maple leaf. The display around the monument consists of a propeller donated by the Wing Heritage in Greenwood, Nova Scotia and a beautiful model of a Canadair CP-107 Argus, handcrafted by local artist Reg Fournier of Corbeil, a huge anchor donated by area Sea Cadets and an Armoured Personnel Carrier APC M113 donated from Ottawa through 22 Wing CFB North Bay. The crests of the three segments of the military are engraved on the base depicting Army, Navy and Air Force.
The names of honoured Veterans are remembered in individual stones in the memorial walkway, along with the names of the various local sponsors of this project. Behind the memorial is a walkway dedicated to those on the Cenotaph Committee.