Special to the Sydenham Current
On November 11, many of us will gather at the Cenotaph in Wallaceburg and remember those from our community and country who served in the Canadian military and paid the supreme sacrifice.
We will as a nation and a world forever be in their debt.
Beside the cenotaph are the ‘Rocks of Honour.’
These stones are a lasting tribute to all the service men and women from Wallaceburg, Walpole Island, Mitchells Bay, Port Lambton, Sombra and Wilksport who served and returned from WWI & WWII to home to build families, community and our country.
The Rock of Honour project was conceived in 2000 when a young man asked why his grandfathers name who served in WWII was not engraved on a monument.
When it was explained that only those who served and died have their names engraved so that we would never forget the service and sacrifice paid, the lad replied that his grandfather served Canada in war and was willing to pay with his life… his name should be someplace.
That comment was the basis for the Rock of Honour Project that took five years of research to collect 1831 names from WWII and 577 from WWI and raise the necessary funds.
The Rocks of Honour were dedicated in June of 2005 and was the efforts of a small but determined group of a dedicated individuals and not a formal organization.
The funds for the original project were raised through successful application to The Ontario Trillium Foundation, the Chatham-Kent Partnership fund and through the purchase of walking stones in the ‘Walk of Gratitude.’
Over the past 12 years the walking path had been damaged and needed to be replaced.
We are very grateful to St. Clair Township, Sarnia Concrete/CME Ready Mix, Smyth Memorials and those who purchased stones for the path through donation of money or product to allow the memorial walk to be completed.
A special thanks to Jamie Cogghe and his team of hardworking men for their efforts above and beyond in preparing, pouring and finishing the walk.
The Rock of Honour monument is dedicated to those men and women who left the comfort of home, took up arms and traveled to nations around the world to fight against tyranny and oppression and defend democracy. During First and Secon World Wars, 64-million lives were lost and many millions more forever changed.
Canada’s military served honourably, and their great sacrifice forged a new world. Not only did it win freedom, it shaped the identity of a nation and earned Canada newfound respect around the world.
Since the end of the Second World War Canada’s military has served in Koreas 1950-1953 and as Peace Keepers from 1956 ongoing.
As the generation of Canadians who served their country in the wars of the past century become fewer and the understanding of sacrifice becomes blurred with time, the Rocks of Honour will stand as a lasting tribute and serve as a reminder to all generations of our local hero’s who answered the call of duty to Canada and her citizens.
Their efforts preserved our life of freedom and democracy.
May these Rocks of Honour stand as testimony to all those local men and women who have served Canada and the world in the most noble of all causes… peace.
Let their service and sacrifice forever be remembered.
