| Memorial Park, Simcoe Street South, between
Gibb Street and Bagot Street, Ontario Constructed
in memory of citizens of Oshawa who sacrificed
their lives in World War I, World War II and the
Korean War.
Unveiled on November 11, 1924.
Dr. T.E. Kaiser was the leader
of the drive to erect a monument dedicated to the
citizens of Oshawa who had sacrificed their lives
in World War I.
It was Kaiser's daughter,
Josephine, who suggested the "Garden of the
Unforgotten" for the Park.
The monument was unveiled by
Sir William Mulock, Chief Justice of Ontario, on
November 11, 1924.
The monument included bronze
tablets which listed the names of 138 Oshawa
residents killed in World War I.
The monument, though based on a
structure in Evesham, England, is quite unique.
The memorial contains stones of every World War I
Allied Nation, as well as stones from many of the
battlefields where Canadians lost their lives.
Included in the memorial are stones from England,
Scotland, Egypt, Newfoundland, Russia and Japan.
Battles immortalized in the
Oshawa monument include: Ypres, Vimy Ridge, Arras
and Passchendale.
Another special feature of the
monument is what lies beneath it. An airtight
copper box is buried underneath the structure. It
contains artifacts of 1924, such as newspapers,
photos, and a cheque from the mayor to pay for
the replacement of the slab that must be removed
to unearth the box. The time capsule is to be
opened in the year 2424.
The bronze figure of a Canadian
Infantryman still stands, surveying Memorial Park
from on top of the monument. In 1948, more
plaques were added to mark the losses that Oshawa
families suffered in World War II and, later,
recognition was given to the residents who went
to Korea during 1950-53.
The monument obviously holds an
important place in Oshawa's history and it
is witness to solemn ceremonies each Remembrance
Day.
 
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