Ayr War Memorial

Galt Evening Reporter, November 16, 1963: Weigh scales belonging to the Watson factory stood in the centre of this small village for three-quarters of a century. Now that the First World War was over, the public-spirited citizens felt the need of a memorial cross. The Ayr War Memorial Committee was formed. The scales were removed and through voluntary contributions construction of the cross commenced. The Department of Militia and Defence, Ottawa, granted permission to the Cross Type A 1, designed by Sir Reginald Bloomfield could be used at no fee. The Department of Militia and Defence also advised the committee as to the wording of the inscription. Owing to Bloomfield’s design and the simplicity of the cross, no names were to appear on the cross. A rough field boulder was chosen to be sunk as support for a bronze tablet which would contain the names of those who died and this was later carried out in 1923. The contract between McIntosh Granite Company, Toronto and the committee was signed April 25, 1922 for the cross to be completed August 1 of that year. It is noted in records that 40 loads of earth for the surrounding plot were provided by the farmers of the district. In the annals of the village, its centennial celebration on August 4, 1924, was given a complete coverage including its history. The activities of the memorable day began at 4 a.m. with guns and firecrackers awakening the population for the start of the day’s activities. This plot is where they remember those who have passed on as a result of the First and Second World Wars and this memory is sacred – as is the ground of the whole plot.

The cenotaph which was first erected in 1922, was renovated and rededicated after a recent road improvement project at Stanley Street and Northumberland Street intersection, North Dumfries ON, where the monument stands. The Remembrance Day Service and the rededication of the Ayr Cenotaph took place on Sunday, November 3 2019 at 2:00 p.m. The parade formed and marched from the Ayr Community Centre to the cenotaph just prior to 2:00 p.m. The rededication ceremony commenced following the parade. The Hon. Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, was a special guest at the rededication. The Remembrance Day service followed. After each of the 58 names was read out, there was the pounding sound of the drum from the Ayr Paris marching band. In addition to the laying of the wreaths, “The Last Post” was played and a minute of silence was heard. Chris Laurin of Elmira read the poem “In Flanders Fields. In 1922 when the Cenotaph was dedicated, school children laid flowers at the base of the cenotaph during the service. In 2019, students from St Brigid’s school recreated this gesture.

Inscription

[Cross/ Croix]

[front/devant]

TO THE MEMORY
OF THOSE MEN OF
AYR
AND
COUNTRYSIDE
WHO IN THE
GREAT WAR
DIED FOR
KING AND COUNTRY
1914 – 1919

[back/arrière]

THEIR NAME
LIVETH FOR
EVERMORE
1939 – 1946

[Plaques on stone/ Plaques sur la pierre des champs]

[Front Plaque/ Plaque en avant]

IN MEMORIAM

CLARENCE APPLEYARD
WILLIAM APPLEYARD
MARGARET E. BAKER
JOHN BARNES
ROBERT BELL
CECIL BIRLEY
JOHN BRANDON
FRED BRATTON
JOHN CARPENTER
ARTHUR CASSADY
WILLIAM CHALK
ORWELL ENNIS
ALFRED FLETCHER
THOMAS GRINDIN
THOMAS HENDERSON
WILLIAM S. HENDERSON

WILFRID B. HALL
HARRY H. HODGSON
VICTOR H. HARDING
ROBERT FRANK KNELLAR
WILLIAM LAST
ARTHUR LAST
HOWARD MARSHALL
HENRY S. H. PITCHER
WILLIAM I REID
ROBERT A. RIDDELL
HAROLD RUTHERFORD
JAMES E. RONALD
WILFRID SHORT
ALBERT G. STYLES
HENRY SMITH
ROBERT JAMES WATSON

[back plaque/plaque en arrière]

IN MEMORIAM
BRIAN JONES
ROBERT WOOLNER
GEORGE CRUICKSHANK
BENJAMIN EICHLER
VERNON INGHAM
WILFRED HEDLEY
LESLIE DAVIS
MURRAY WOOD

Galt Evening Reporter, 16 novembre 1963 : Une balance appartenant à l’usine Watson trônait au centre du petit village depuis trois quarts de siècle. Une fois la Première Guerre mondiale terminée, les citoyens ont ressenti le besoin d’y ériger une croix du Souvenir afin d’exprimer leur patriotisme. Le comité du monument aux morts d’Ayr a donc été constitué, la balance a été enlevée et la construction de la croix a débuté grâce à des contributions volontaires. Le ministère de la Milice et de la Défense, à Ottawa, avait autorisé l’utilisation sans frais d’une croix de type A 1 dessinée par sir Reginal Bloomfield et avait donné ses instructions à propos du texte de l’inscription. En raison du dessin de Bloomfield et de la simplicité de la croix, aucun nom ne devait figurer sur la croix elle-même. Un bloc de pierre brute a été choisi comme base d’une plaque de bronze devant porter les noms des disparus et il a finalement été installé en 1923. Le contrat entre le comité et la McIntosh Granite Company de Toronto a été signé le 25 avril 1922, la croix devant être terminée avant le 1er août de la même année. Les registres font état de 40 chargements de terre fournis par les fermiers du district pour le lot entourant la croix. La célébration marquant le centenaire du village, le 4 août 1924, est décrite longuement dans les annales municipales avec son historique. Les activités de cette journée mémorable ont commencé à 4 heures du matin par des coups de canon et des pétards qui ont réveillé la population pour marquer le début des festivités. Ce lot est dédié à la mémoire des morts des Première et Seconde Guerre mondiales; leur souvenir est sacré, tout comme le sol du lot tout entier.

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