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National War Memorial (Newfoundland)
World War I memorial in Canada / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The National War Memorial in Downtown St. John's is the most elaborate of all the post World War I monuments in Newfoundland and Labrador. It was erected at King's Beach on Water Street where, in 1583, Sir Humphrey Gilbert claimed Newfoundland for England (following John Cabot's 1497 expedition). It was formally unveiled on Memorial Day, 1 July 1924 by Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig.
National War Memorial | |
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![]() ![]() Veterans Affairs Canada Commonwealth War Graves Commission | |
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For soldiers of Dominion of Newfoundland, World War I | |
Unveiled | 1 July 1924 |
Location | 47°34′03.28″N 52°42′13.67″W near |
Designed by | Father Thomas Nangle |
Erected by "a grateful people to honour its war dead" |
Donations poured in from across the island for the memorial. Construction was supervised by Lieutenant-Colonel Father Thomas Nangle, the Roman Catholic Padre of Royal Newfoundland Regiment and (Ret) Captain Gerald (Gerry) Whitty.
On the Memorial's centennial, it was refurbished and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was added, with Canada's Governor General and Prime Minister in attendance for the ceremony. This is the only time that the Commonwealth War Graves Commission allowed a second tomb for an unknown solider in the same country. During the First World War, Newfoundland was an independent Dominion within the British Empire. The memorial in Ottawa interred a Canadian solider from the Battle of Vimy Ridge, which Newfoundland did not participate in. So, it is not representative of their nation, and the Commission granted the second tomb in Canada.