WWII cenotaph in Victoria Square, Colborne.

I chaired the committee which did some restorative work from 2014-2016.

The WWII monument was destroyed in 1948 by a car, but soon thereafter was rebuilt. I attended high school across the street from Victoria Square in the 1950s and remember it looking then as it does today.

No damage was done to the WWI monument at that time.

In 2014 a committee was struck to do some upgrading to the area surrounding both monuments. Except for cleaning, the monuments themselves were not touched. A concrete pad was placed in a rectangular shape around both monuments and paving stones, furniture, planters, and lighting were added. A fountain separates the two monuments and this too was upgraded. The re-dedication of the site took place in May of 2016. Funding was received from Veterans’ Affairs for the project and the rededication ceremony.

On the north face of the WWII monument there is a stylized maple leaf with the inscription KOREA 1950 – 1953 below the leaf. This was added by the local branch of the RCL in 1994-1996 when Patti May was president.

by Pat Westrope