August 2025
The National War Memorial in Ottawa, Ontario, was officially dedicated on 21 May 1939, originally to commemorate Canadians who died in World War I. By 1982, it was re-dedicated to honour those who died World War II and the Korean War, with dedications to those lost in the Second Boer War and Afghanistan added in 2014.
One very notable addition to the memorial was the dedication of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in 2000, symbolizing the sacrifices made by all Canadians who have died or may yet die for their country.
Fairview Cemetery in Niagara Falls, Ontario, also has their own Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It was dedicated on 16 September 2017, as a part of a new war memorial area within the cemetery. A formal Military Funeral preceded the entombment of the Unknown Soldier, a soldier who had originally been laid to rest in the Field of Honour in Section M at Fairview Cemetery. Previously marked with a standard flat tombstone, the new monument features an above ground crypt sitting atop a small pedestal.
A memorial plaza and a new Field of Honour were created, along with the Tomb, featuring monuments to Canada’s war and peacekeeping legacies.
Sources: Military Restoration Projects | City of Niagara Falls, Canada, National War Memorial (Canada) – Wikipedia, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (Canada) – Wikipedia.
