Remembering Oshawa’s fallen
The war memorial at Memorial Park was first unveiled on Remembrance Day in 1924.
By Jennifer Weymark/Archivist
When we think about Remembrance Day, we tend to think of it as a day to remember those who fought for Canada in the First and Second World Wars. However, it is much more than that. Remembrance Day honours the service and sacrifice of those who took part in the Korean War, in peacekeeping initiatives and, most recently, the war in Afgahanistan. Here in Oshawa, memorializing the sacrifice of these brave men and women is not relegated to just Nov. 11. There are several different ways the city has chosen to honour our military men and women.
The oldest and most noticeable form of memorial is Memorial Park and the beautiful War Memorial located there.
Unveiled on Nov. 11, 1924, much of the credit for the memorial is owed to Dr. T.E. Kaiser. He was instrumental in fundraising, letter-writing and selecting the final design, which he chose using pictures of other war memorials from around the world. On top of the memorial, there is a bronze figure of an infantryman.
There are stones from countries such as England, France, Russia, and Japan, as well as stones from battlefields where Canadians lost their lives. On either side of the memorial there are lights that burn at all times.
Bronze tablets are inscribed with the names of 138 men who died in the First World War. In 1948, another tablet was added with the names of the 177 residents who died in the Second World War. Those who died in the Korean War have also been recognized.
One unique feature of the memorial is the time capsule buried beneath it in 1924. It is to be opened in 2424, and contains artifacts such as a letter from the city engineer, newspapers, photos, catalogues, stamps, coins and poppy seeds, a symbol of the First World War. It also contains a cheque of an unknown amount from the mayor to replace the memorial.
The city decided to continue honouring the men and women from Oshawa who served our country in a more everyday sort of way. Since 2003, it has been a policy of the City of Oshawa to name streets within new subdivision plans in honour of those who lived in Oshawa and died fighting for their country. Many of such streets can be found north of Taunton Road East and west of Harmony Road North.
The majority of the streets named to honour Oshawa’s war dead and veterans, can be identified by a poppy on the street sign. Some of these streets include:
- Spencely Drive/Court: Trooper Morley Russell Spencely (1920-1943)
- Kitchen Court: Private Gordon Henry Earl Kitchen (1918-1944), attended Ritson Road Public School and OCVI and is buried in the Netherlands
- Badgley Drive/Court: Trooper Verdon Douglas Badgley (1918-1944), buried in Italy
Take time today to remember the brave sacrifice of so many of Oshawa’s men and women.