We Will Remember Them:
War Memorials in New Brunswick
Cities
It is self-evident that cities are going to have the most number of war memorials.
I have used Google Maps to provide a better look at the four major cities (Saint John, Fredericton, Moncton, and Miramichi) and their memorials. Each of the major cities in the province has been represented. Click on the blue placemarkers for a photo of each of the memorials. All of these photos are from the Directorate of History and Heritage website unless otherwise indicated.
Saint John
Saint John has one of the finest arrays of war memorials in the province. Some of the unique memorials are:
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Martello Tower (above) in the city's West Side which was significant for the defense of the city during the War of 1812. It was used in some capacity through the Second World War.
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The soldier memorial to the Boer War in Riverview Park. This is one of the only memorials to the South African War in the province and its size shows that the community was willing to spend a considerable amount of money on the statue.
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The cenotaph at Kings Square is one of monumental proportions and its construction was rife with debate because in order to put it at the head of King Street, the Christian Women's Temprance Movement's fountain had to be moved.
Parks Canada
Fredericton
Fredericton is an important case study when looking at New Brunswick's memorials for several reasons, not least of which is the fact that it is the provincial capital and therefore the interests of the provinical government will be reflected in the city. Fredericton is also made up of several smaller communities that amalgamated at various different times, these include Devon, Nashwaaksis, Marysville, Barker's Point, St Mary's Ferry, etc. The vast majority of these old municipalities are on the North Side of the river which means that there are smaller community memorials in those places. Fredericton is also a Cathedral town, and that features prominently in the story of the main cenotaph.
The main cenotaph in Fredericton is on the Cathedral Green at the junction of Queen, Church, and King Streets. It was dedicated in 1923 and was erected by the Fredericton War Memorial Committee. There were several prominent Fredericton citizens on the committee: Mr Justice O. Crocket; Lady Maria, Countess of Ashburham; the Lord Bishop of Fredericton, John Richardson; His Worship, Mayor Ried; and UNB Chancellor CC Jones. Despite the prominence of the committee and its membership, its records do not seem to exist.
Miramichi
Miramichi, like Fredericton, is a city of smaller towns. It was established in 1995 by the amalgamation of Newcastle, Chatham, Douglastown, Loggieville, and Nelson, each of which had their own war memorials. There was also a base (CFB Chatham) in the area until the 1970s. Therefore, Miramichi is a rich resource of war memorials.
Dedicated to all the former members of CFB Chatham, this CF-101 Voodoo is one of the reminders that Miramichi once had a military base.
St Michael's Basillica in Chatham has a stained glass window dedicated "To the memory of all the men in the North Shore, N.B. Regiment." It was donated by the chaplain of the regiment Monseignor RM Hickey. What is most interesting about the window, especially considering its context, is that it is more military-based than religous. There is a cross,-- though it is not the focus of the piece-- it is in a church, and it was donated by a priest; however, the symbolism is not one of resurrection, but simply one of honour. The main focus is the cap badge of the regiment.
The war memorial in Queen Elizabeth Park in Newcastle is a typical example of a granite shaft put up by the local Legion branch. It is a memorial to those who served in the First World War, the Second World War, and the Korean War. It also has a plaque for those "who gave their life in the service of peace." Inscribed on the monument are the various battles and engagements in which members of the local Legion fought and died.
Moncton, Riverview, and Dieppe are three separate municipalities; therefore, war memorials are fairly prevalent in the landscape. The Moncton area is also an interesting study because the war memorials date from very different time periods. This shows that even long after armed conflict, communities are moved to spend civic money remembering their fallen.
Moncton Riverview Dieppe
The cenotaph in Victoria Park in Moncton, unveiled on Armistice Day 1922, is one of the oldest in the province. It was constructed by the local chapter of the Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire. It is one of the only memorials in the province that features a bronze statue atop. This shows that the citizens of Moncton in the early 1920s were willing to spare no expense in memorializing their war dead.
The francophone part of the Greater Moncton Area is a city called Dieppe. It was named for the beach in the north of France where 913 Canadians landed in August 1942 and suffered high casualties. The war memorial (right) is a representation of that landing and of Dieppe Beach. It was unveiled on May 8, 1981 by the French Consul General.
The memorial in Riverview, which was unveiled in 1984 by His Royal Highness Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is a fairly typical obelisk with two slabs on the side. It is dedicated to the memory of the men who died in the First World War, the Second World War, and the Korean War.