Nov. 6, 2021 marked the 100th anniversary of the unveiling of the Merritt Cenotaph. It was a cold and windy afternoon on November 6th, 1921, but that didn’t stop the event from being the largest outdoor gathering in Merritt up to that point.
The Memorial was largely the work of the Merritt Ladies’ Auxiliary of the Great War Veterans’ Association, a precursor to the Canadian Legion.
The Ladies’ Auxiliary began a fundraising endeavour through the Merritt Herald where people could cut out the ad and take it to their bank to donate directly into their fundraising account for the Memorial. This method proved to be rather ineffective, unfortunately. 20 days after the start of this campaign the editor of the Merritt Herald took out a column in the May 20th, 1921, edition of the Herald decrying the people of Merritt for having donated nothing to the account since the start of the campaign. Up to that point the only people who had donated were the wives of soldiers and veterans.
The editor concluded with the words: “Give us the memorial. Let us have the shrine to make sacred to the rising men and women, the great deeds of sacrifice and suffering. Loosen you purse strings, and loosen them NOW.”
The people of Merritt began to donate far more generously after this, with names and amounts donated published in subsequent Heralds. Other groups began running their own fundraisers for the memorial, for example all profits made from the sale of tickets to the Chautauqua were donated to the memorial fund. Mrs. McInnes of Lower Nicola raised $11 by holding a benefit tea at her house. The excess funds from the Peace Day Celebration totalling approximately $120 were donated. Most people donated between 50 cents and $2. By the end, the total amount raised was $467.09 with the Ladies’ Auxiliary covering the rest of the amount for the $1200 monument.
The commission of the construction of the monument was given to Patterson, Chandler, and Stephen LTD. out of Vancouver. The monument builders had built a number of monuments, including the one in Penticton, and W. R. Chandler personally oversaw the placement of the monument.
Contrary to the now solemn occasion of Remembrance Day, the Merritt Herald reported that the unveiling of the monument was about “… recalling the romance of war, rather than the grim and sordid aspect, which so many of the veterans present in the parade remembered.”
The ceremony began with a parade consisting of veterans, the City Band, the City Council, school children, and members of the various lodges around Merritt. Upon arriving at the Cenotaph, Ben Shaw, William Eagles, Sam Campbell, and Jas Moody took their positions as the Guards of Honour. Reverend B. H. Wallace, Reverend Jas Thompson and Reverend W. Wilson led the service and the hymns that were sung. Concluding this, Lieutenant A McDonald and Mrs. F.S. Gay read out the original forty names of Merrittonians who died in service during the First World War.
This was followed by a Thanksgiving prayer, and a rendition of “O Canada” by the school children. Wreaths and flowers were left at the base of the Memorial, including by those who lost loved ones, Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson appear to have left flowers with a note saying “In loving memory of our dead son”.
The Cenotaph stood on the old Court House grounds for many years, while names were added of young Merrittonians who would perish in the Second World War, Korean War, and other subsequent conflicts. The cenotaph was moved from its original location to where it currently stands in November of 2008, after the old Court House was sold. Today it stands guard outside the Civic Centre, where it continues to stand in remembrance of those who gave their lives
I will leave you with the words of Reverend B. H. Wallace, at the conclusion of his speech given at the old Court House over 100 years ago that still rings true to this day. “Shall we not whilst standing around this monument to our gallant dead, make a solemn vow, so that the dearly bought victories be not wrested from us. Let us turn to the mighty task of building up our nation, strong for peace, glorious in righteousness, and thus make our endeavours remain the most fitting of all memorials.”
