Correcting Citizens’ War Memorial
The Citizen’s War Memorial in Confederation Square includes 83 mistakes – something Wall of Honour founder David Edgerton hopes can be fixed by next June’s 100th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.
There are many reasons for the errors, such as omissions resulting from a lack of living relatives in the area at a time when the information they could provide was critical, said the longtime legionnaire and advocate for veterans.
“They did the best they could,” he said, pointing out that a request for submissions was published by The Examiner in 1928, when military records were not nearly as accessible as they are today thanks to the internet.
There are 71 names from the city and county among the 11,207 listed on the Vimy Monument in France, which was unveiled in 1936 to honour Canadian Expeditionary Force members killed during the First World War.
Edgerton, who aims to preserve history as accurately as possible, spent nearly five hours going through those names to ensure they are correct in Peterborough.
He has also spent countless hours looking through sign-up records in the Canadian Virtual War Memorial administered by Veterans Affairs Canada.
The records of nearly 5,000 locals are among the 96,000 in total, meaning about 10 per cent who volunteered to serve died, said Edgerton, who is also offering to direct relatives on how to provide more information and photos for the online registry.
Sometimes minor spelling mistakes arose when military signing officers misspelled names slightly during the enlistment process, said Edgerton, who will chair and emcee this year’s Remembrance Service.
At the memorial – which is commonly but incorrectly called the cenotaph – Edgerton hopes to see the bronze plaques removed and black granite panels added with the corrections, something he acknowledged can’t be done in time for this Nov. 11.
While he hopes it wouldn’t be necessary, a portable etching machine could then be brought in to make future corrections.
The Wall of Honour, which was unveiled in 2010 after Edgerton began working on it more than 20 years ago, honours service men and women who survived conflicts including the First World War, Second World War and Korean War.
The financial consultant and former city councillor is also hoping to include a special section in this year’s parade for descendants of First World War veterans.
NOTE: David Edgerton can be reached at 705-745-9083 or dr_edgerton@hotmail.com