National War Memorial (Newfoundland)
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| National War Memorial | |
|---|---|
 Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador | |
 | |
| For soldiers of Newfoundland, World War I | |
| Unveiled | July 1, 1924 |
| Location | 47°34′03.28″N 52°42′13.67″W / 47.5675778°N 52.7037972°W near St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada |
| Designed by | Father Thomas Nangle |
Erected by "a grateful people to honour its war dead" | |
The National War Memorial in
The Great War Veterans' Association and the Newfoundland Patriotic Association launched the campaign to have the National War Memorial established. They developed a committee to establish the design and undertake the fund-raising to pay for the proposed memorial. Construction of the memorial was supervised by Lieutenant-Colonel Father Thomas Nangle, the Roman Catholic Padre of Royal Newfoundland Regiment and (Ret) Captain Gerald (Gerry) Whitty.
Design
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The design was semi-circular with a graduated plateau rising from the entrance stairway on Water Street to the
At the top of the central pedestal is a figure of a woman. It symbolizes Newfoundland's willingness to serve and the spirit of loyalty to the Empire. She is holding a flaming torch in her left hand as a symbol of freedom. In her right hand, she is holding a sword poised and ready to battle, if she must. From the sides of the central pedestal, two wings of granite protrude. On the west wing, representing the Newfoundlanders who joined the Newfoundland Royal Naval Reserve, is a sailor holding a spyglass. On the east wing, representing the men of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, is a soldier in full battle gear, loading his rifle, searching the horizon for "the enemy".
Out in front, on the lower pedestal, are fishermen in
Ceremonies
Each year the memorial is the site of several ceremonies to commemorate those service personnel who died in past wars.
- April 25, the date of the commemoration of the Gallipolioffensive in World War I
- First Sunday in May, the Battle of the Atlantic is commemorated
- July 1—Memorial Day—is the date of remembrance of Battle of the Somme at Beaumont-Hamel
- Third Sunday in September, the anniversary of the Battle of Britain is celebrated
- November 11, is Armistice Day, the anniversary of the official end of World War I
Legacy
In 1928 Newfoundland issued a postage stamp titled 'War Memorial, St. John's', depicting the memorial.[2][3]
References
- ^ "First World War Commemorations At Home". Newfoundland & Labrador in the First World War. Memorial University of Newfoundland. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
- ^ Newfoundland Post stamp[dead link]
- ^ "War Memorial, St. John's". Stamp Collecting World. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
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