Body Content

Mrs. Sarah Wilkins Lamplough of Ottawa, Ontario, was the 1942 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother. During the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa on November 11, 1942, she laid a wreath at the base of the National War Memorial on behalf of all mothers who have lost a child in military service to Canada.

On May 9, 1915, her son, Corporal Leonard Alderson Lamplough, was killed in action while serving with the Canadian Field Artillery.

On July 10, 1918, her second son, Gunner Frank Wilkins Lamplough, was killed in the line of duty also while serving with the Canadian Field Artillery.

Province
Town
Ottawa
Start Year
1942
Body Content

Mrs. Edith Louisa Coldrey of Ottawa, Ontario, was the 1943 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother. During the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa on November 11, 1943, she laid a wreath at the base of the National War Memorial on behalf of all mothers who have lost a child in military service to Canada.

On May 3, 1917, her son, Sapper Kendall Augustus Coldrey, was killed while serving with the Canadian Engineers.

Province
Town
Ottawa
Start Year
1943
Body Content

Mrs. Jessie Isobel Olga McCleery from Ottawa, Ontario, was the 1944 - 1946 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother. During the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa on November 11, 1944 - 1946, she laid a wreath at the base of the National War Memorial on behalf of all mothers who have lost a child in military service to Canada. She was the first Second World War bereaved mother to be selected.

On December 17, 1942, her son, Flying Officer Raymond Norman McCleery, was killed in action while serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Province
Town
Ottawa
Start Year
1944
End Year
1946
Body Content
Martha Labarge

National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother Martha Labarge. (Photo courtesy of Charlie Labarge)

(Photo courtesy of Charlie Labarge)
National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother Martha Labarge. (Photo courtesy of Charlie Labarge)(Photo courtesy of Charlie Labarge)

Mrs. Martha Labarge from Ottawa, Ontario, was the 1947 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother. During the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa on November 11, 1947, she laid a wreath at the base of the National War Memorial on behalf of all mothers who have lost a child in military service to Canada.

On September 30, 1942, her son, Flight Sergeant Leo John Labarge , was killed in action while serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

On March 12, 1943, a second son, Pilot Officer Bernard Henry Labarge, was killed on a bombing mission over Germany while serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Mrs. Labarge had two sons overseas serving in the RCAF. In a sad twist of fate, she received news of both sons death in the same week in March 1943.

A native of Montréal, Québec, Martha Theresa Labarge (née O’Rourke) married Charles Henry Labarge, a native of Hungerford Township near Tweed, Ontario, on September 2, 1912. Following their move to Ottawa, they had five boys and one girl, four of whom served during the Second World War in one capacity or another.

Mrs. Labarge was heavily involved in community affairs during her days in Ottawa. She was well known for her prowess in fundraising and adopted a number of charities. She was President of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Ottawa General Hospital, President of the Catholic Church Extension Society, a director of the Ottawa Neighborhood Services, and director of St. Mary’s Home for the Aged. She was an active member of the Canadian Red Cross and the Ottawa Community Chest (the forerunner of the United Way) as well as the Ladies’ Auxiliary of St. Vincent Hospital and of Immaculata High School.

Province
Town
Ottawa
Start Year
1947
Body Content

Mrs. Catherine Helen MacDonald of Ottawa, Ontario, was the 1948 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother. During the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa on November 11, 1948, she laid a wreath at the base of the National War Memorial on behalf of all mothers who have lost a child in military service to Canada.

On April 30, 1941, her son, Sergeant Neil Richardson MacDonald, was lost at sea while serving with the Corps of Military Staff Clerks.

On October 20, 1941, a second son, Sergeant Ian Alistair MacDonald, was killed in action while serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Province
Town
Ottawa
Start Year
1948
Body Content

Mrs. Marie Aline D’Aoust of Ottawa, Ontario, was the 1949 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother. During the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa on November 11, 1949, she laid a wreath at the base of the National War Memorial on behalf of all mothers who have lost a child in military service to Canada.

On August 14, 1944, her son, Lieutenant Gerard Raoul D’Aoust, was killed during the fighting between Caen and Falaise while serving with the Le Régiment de Maisonneuve.

Province
Town
Ottawa
Start Year
1949
Body Content
Susan Beasley

1950 National Memorial Silver Cross Mother – Susan Beasley (Photo: David Archer)

(Photo: David Archer)
1950 National Memorial Silver Cross Mother – Susan Beasley (Photo: David Archer)(Photo: David Archer)

Mrs. Susan Beasley of Ottawa, Ontario, was the first National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother to be chosen by The Royal Canadian Legion in 1950. During the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa on November 11, 1950, she laid a wreath at the base of the National War Memorial on behalf of all mothers who have lost a child in military service to Canada.

On June 12, 1944, her son, Aircraftman 1st Class William Harold Beasley, was killed while serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

On December 24, 1944, her second son, Flying Officer Joseph Ronald Beasley, was killed also while serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Her husband, John Beasley, was a soldier during the First World War and heroically survived despite the loss of one of his legs.

Province
Town
Ottawa
Start Year
1950
Body Content
Alice Rochon

1951 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother – Alice Rochon (Photo: David Archer)

(Photo: David Archer)
1951 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother – Alice Rochon (Photo: David Archer)(Photo: David Archer)

Mrs. Alice Rochon of Ottawa, Ontario, was the 1951 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother. During the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa on November 11, 1951, she laid a wreath at the base of the National War Memorial on behalf of all mothers who have lost a child in military service to Canada.

On April 25, 1945, her son, Major Robert Lionel Rochon, was killed while serving with Le Regiment de la Chaudière, RCIC.

Mrs. Rochon was the mother of nine children, four served in the Second World War. The youngest was a sergeant with the Royal 22nd Regiment in the Korean War.

Province
Town
Ottawa
Start Year
1951
Body Content

Mrs. Hannah McCann of Ottawa, Ontario, was the 1952 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother. During the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa on November 11, 1952, she laid a wreath at the base of the National War Memorial on behalf of all Canadian women who have lost a loved one in military service to Canada.

On March 24, 1944, her son, Pilot Officer Leonard Myles McCann, was killed in action while serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Province
Town
Ottawa
Start Year
1952
Body Content

Mrs. Mary Casey of Ottawa, Ontario, was the 1953 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother. During the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa on November 11, 1953, she laid a wreath at the base of the National War Memorial on behalf of all mothers who have lost a child in military service to Canada.

On July 14, 1942, her son, Warrant Officer Class II Raymond Francis Casey, was killed while serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

On March 31, 1945, a second son, Flying Officer John Joseph Casey, was killed while serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Province
Town
Ottawa
Start Year
1953