Victory Square Cenotaph

This Cenotaph commemorates those who were among the men who, at call of King and Country, left all that was dear, endured hardship, faced danger, and finally passed from the sight of men by the path of duty, giving their own lives that others might live in freedom. Let those who come after see to it that their names be not forgotten. The war memorial in Vancouver is a gray granite obelisk, thirty feet high, at the foot of a gentle slope in a small park, Victory Square, on nine-tenths of an acre of green lawn, with ornamental trees and flower beds. Victory Square is bounded by Hastings Street, a busy principal thoroughfare, Cambie, Pender and Hamilton streets and, due to its central location and keystone shape, has been styled the keystone of Vancouver, now, 1944, a metropolis ten miles wide by five deep, of 400,000 people. The Cenotaph was erected by public subscription in 1924, is of Nelson Island granite engraved with suitable inscriptions, and is kept continuously banked high with wreaths of flowers and adorned with national flags. The monument has three, not four, sides; one side faces Hastings Street, the others Pender and Hamilton Streets, and was designed thus by Major G.L. Thornton Sharp, architect, town planner, and park commissioner, to conform to the triangular shape of the park. It is so placed that, when approached from the east, it appears in the distance centrally at the end of busy Hastings Street. The granite was supplied by the Vancouver Granite Co., Ltd., and the erecting contractors were Messrs. Stewart and Wylie; Mr. Stewart died from the effects of an accident whilst preparing the memorial. The Vancouver War Memorial Committee of twenty-four, of which twelve represented the Canadian Club of Vancouver, and twelve the Civic War Memorial Committee, the whole under the chairmanship of F.W. Rounsefell, Esq., pioneer, and with J.R.V. Dunlop, Esq., of the Canadian Club, as honorary secretary, were the public-spirited sponsors. The Cenotaph cost $10,666.000. The first, commencing “Their name”, is from Ecclesiasticus, 44th chapter, 14th verse, and, the second, commencing “Is it nothing”, from Lamentations, chapter 1, verse 12. The word, “cenotaph” is derived from the Greek, “kenos”, empty, and “taphos”, a tomb, and means a tomb in memory of one buried elsewhere, i.e., an empty tomb. The ornamentations on the stone include one long sword and two wreaths, one of laurels, the other of poppies; both entwined with maple leaves. A stone replica of the steel helmet, as used in the war of 1914-1918, adorns three corner buttresses. A larger wreath of laurels surrounds the numerals “1914-1918” at the base of the front. Slots in a receptacle of three bronze maple leaves hold the staffs of the Union Jack, the White and Canadian Ensigns, always flying, which are placed there by the Canadian Legion, British Empire Service League, and renewed four times each year. The Cenotaph was unveiled by His Worship W.R. Owen, Mayor of Vancouver, in the presence of an assemblage of 25,000 persons, naval, military and civilian, and including the Old Contemptibles, 7th British Columbia, 29th Vancouver, 72nd Seaforths, 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles, 47th New Westminster, and 102nd North British Columbian Battalions, C.E.F., and others, on Sunday, 27th April, 1924. It was dedicated by Hon. Major the Rev. Cecil C. Owen, M.B.E., V.D., D.D., chaplain of the 29th (Vancouver) Battalion, C.E.F., “To the Glory of God, and in thankful remembrance of those who served their King and Country overseas in the cause of truth, righteousness and freedom.” The 24th Psalm was read by Hon. Lt.-Col. the Rev. G.O. Fallis, C.B.E., E.D., D.D., of the Methodist Church, and the music included “O Canada” (Buchan); “O God, Our Help in Ages Past”; “Lochaber No More” (bagpipes); “For All the Saints”; “Last Post” and “God Save the King”. The first wreath, being the tribute of the Corporation and Citizens of Vancouver, was reverently placed by Mrs. W.R. Owen, wife of His Worship the Mayor. In his valedictory address, Major the Rev. Mr. Owen said: “Those whose sacrifices this Cenotaph commemorates, were among the men who, at call of King and Country, left all that was dear, endured hardship, faced danger, and finally passed out of the sight of men by the path of duty, giving their own lives that others might live in freedom. Let those who come after see to it that their names be not forgotten.” J.S. Matthews, City Archives, City Hall, Vancouver, 1944.

Inscription

Facing Hastings Street:
“Their name liveth for evermore” and,
within a stone wreath, “1914-1918.”

Facing Hamilton Street:
“Is it nothing to you.”

Facing Pender Street:
“All ye that pass by.”

Cet obélisque de granit gris, haut de trente pieds au bas d’une colline dans le Square Victory, est situé près d’un acre de gazon vert entouré d’arbustes et de fleurs. Par sa situation dans le square très fréquente et sa forme en clef, il a été surnommé le “Keystone of Vancouver”. Le cénotaphe a été érigé en 1924 grâce aux dons du public et est fait de granit provenant de l’île Nelson. Il y a des inscriptions et se trouve constamment décoré de couronnes de fleurs et de drapeaux. Le major G.L. Thornton Sharp, architecte, planificateur urbain et commissaire du parc, a conçu le design à trois faces. Le granit provient de la Vancouver Granite Co.,Ltd., et la construction est de messieurs Stewart et Wylie; M. Stewart est décédé des suites d’un accident lors de la construction du mémorial. Les parrains du projet, membres du Vancouver War Memorial Committee, étaient au nombre de 24, 12 d’entre eux représentent le Canadian Club of Vancouver et 12 le Civic War Memorial Committee, la présidence relevait de F.W. Rounsefell, pionnier et J.R.V. Dunlop du Canadian Club l’assistait à titre de secrétaire honoraire. Le coût du cénotaphe a été de 10,666$. Le cénotaphe a été dévoilé le dimanche, 27 avril 1924, par monsieur W.R. Owen, maire de Vancouver, devant une foule de 25,000 personnes, militaires et civils des Old Contemptibles, 7th British Columbia, 29th Vancouver, 72nd Seaforth, 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles, 47th Westminster et 102nd North British Columbia Battalions, C.E.F. La cérémonie a été célébrée par le major, rev. Cecil C. Owen, MBE, VD, DD, aumônier du 29th (Vancouver) Battalion, C.E.F. Ref.: J.S. Mathews, Archives, Hôtel de ville, Vancouver, 1944.

Le texte de l’inscription figure dans la section anglaise.