We Care!

In March 1953, the Mail Star
newspaper reported that the
Department of Veterans Affairs
and the Imperial War Graves
Commission wanted to spend
$130,000 to refurbish the
original Seamen’s Memorial
which was deteriorating. The
proposal involved planning a
new site and adding the names
of the Second World War dead
to the memorial. A shelter and
altar were planned, but the Park
Commissioners objected to the
plan that would have resulted
in the destruction of a number
of trees. As a result, the City of
Halifax decided to move the
Seamen’s Memorial to Citadel
Hill.
In addition to the 25- foot
cross from the First World War
monument, which was moved
from its original location at
Point Pleasant Park, two
L-shaped granite walls at
the foot of a flight of stairs
contained the Second
World War casualty names.
This structure was unveiled
by Governor-General
Vincent Massey on July
31,1955. A massed choir
from six Anglican churches
assembled on the steps
leading up to the cross, and
members of the Stadacona
Band and a piper from the
First Battalion of the Black
Watch of Canada sounded The
Last Post and a Scottish lament.
The estimated crowd of 5,000
included a number of relatives
of the dead servicemen who
had travelled from all parts of
Canada.
Weathering, vandalism, and
soil slippage from the Citadel
Hill site eventually lead to
a decision to build a third
monument.
The November 8, 1966 issue of
the Mail Star shows a photo and
article depicting the ceremonial
burial-at-sea of the demolished
memorial. Two stones weighing
more than 200 pounds
inscribed with the dates of the
two wars and two 10- to 15-ton
blocks containing the names
of the First and Second World
War dead were slipped over the
side of a floating Navy crane
into the deepest part of Bedford
Basin. Two naval chaplains, one
Protestant and the other Roman
Catholic, conducted the service
at the request of the Parks and
Historic Sites Branch of the
Department of Northern Affairs
and National Resources.
The third Halifax Memorial
was commissioned by the
Canadian government and the
Commonwealth War Graves
Commission and “is in honour
of the men and women of the
navy, army, and merchant navy
of Canada” who died in the
First World War and the Second
World War and who have no
known graves. It was officially
unveiled on November 12, 1967
by the Lieutenant Governor of
Nova Scotia, The Honourable
Henry P. MacKeen, CD, QC.
The current memorial is a
40-foot high Cross of Sacrifice
standing on an octagonal
podium
made of Quebec
grey granite. Twentythree
bronze panels
are inscribed with
3,257 names. The
names of the World
War I war dead are
listed on panels one
to three and include
50 sailors who were
lost at sea or killed
in the Halifax explosion, 177
merchant seamen, and 180
soldiers and Nursing Sisters
who were buried or lost at
sea. Panels four to 23 list the
2,851 members who lost their
lives in the Second World War.
There were 309 members of
the Royal Canadian Navy,
141 sailors with the Royal
Canadian Naval Reserve,
996 sailors from the Royal
Canadian Naval Volunteer
Reserve, 1059 Canadian
Merchant Navy sailors, 203
Newfoundland Merchant
Seamen, and 143 members of
the Canadian Army stationed
in Canada who have no known
grave.
It is interesting to note that
there are only two other crosses
of this size and design in the
world, both at war memorials
in Egypt. Smaller versions of
the cross are seen in other
military cemeteries throughout
Europe and Canada. The Cross
of Sacrifice was designed by
Sir Reginald Blomfield after
the First World War and the
copyright was given to the
War Graves Commission with
the understanding that the
design would only be used as a
war memorial. The Memorial
is clearly visible by all ships
approaching or leaving Halifax
harbour.
Over the years, a few
noteworthy additions
complemented the
third Halifax Memorial
site. In May 1969,
the monument
was illuminated by
floodlights provided
by the Royal
Canadian Naval
Association. In 1998,
the Atlantic Chief and Petty
Officers and the North Russia
Club had a mast installed
beside the monument. The
inscription reads:
“This mast is dedicated to the
memory of those valiant ships,
men, and women who fought
the convoys through to North
Russia against a formidable
and determined foe during the
Second World War. Remember
well to whom you owe your
comfortable berth.”
Following Hurricane Juan in
September 2003, Point Pleasant
Park was closed to the public
for several months while
cleanup operations proceeded.
As a result, plans for the
Remembrance Day ceremony
in the park were in jeopardy. For
the first time in 36 years, HMCS
Scotian would not be able to
conduct a Remembrance Day
Parade in Point Pleasant Park.
A proposal was put forward to
conduct a smaller wreath laying
service at the Sailors’ Memorial.
The Executive Officer and
former coxswain were granted
permission to enter the park.
Under brilliant sunshine
and among the thousands
of fallen trees in the park,
HMCS Scotian’s solitary
wreath was placed at the
foot of the monument on
the 11th hour of the 11th
day of the 11th month.
It was an important
tradition to maintain. “At
the going down of the sun
and in the morning, we
will remember them.”
Lest We Forget.