November is the month we remember our Service men and woman. The Veterans that fought for the freedom we have today. November 11 has been dedicated to honour those people across Canada. This day is observed yearly. Our Veterans deserve to be recognized all year round. In Windsor, Ontario, ceremonies and dedications take place throughout the year.
Canada has participated in many different wars. More notably the First and Second World Wars, the Vietnam War and the Korean War. There was also the Boer War, War of 1812, D-Day and Normandy. These wars went on many years ago. More recently, there was the Gulf War, the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. Those are just a few of course. There is quite a history of Canada and the wars Canadians were involved in all over the world.
Canada has often joined forces with the United States as allies. Not always actively fighting, they were more peacekeepers. They did however, export weapons and other supplies and provided medical services to the wounded and those that could not mentally continue on. Canadians still were exposed to the horrors of war. Living in tunnel, trenches and bunkers and trying to survive in the open fields. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers, nurses, and notable people either lost their lives, became prisoners of war or, were missing in action.
Windsor, Ontario, Canada became a very large training camp where men and women from the surrounding counties came to prepare for war. There were eventually sent off to Camp Borden and were deployed from there. Windsor also became known for manufacturing weapons, some vehicles and supplies to take to war.
Windsor is home to numerous monuments and memorial sites throughout the city that recognize and honour the Veterans and fallen soldiers. Many of these monuments have been placed parks all along the riverfront. Ceremonies and dedications take place throughout the year on anniversaries and the addition of monuments and plaques. The service men and woman of the Windsor-Essex County area should be recognized as much as possible, not just on November 11.
Some of the larger monuments that can be found are, The North Wall which is also known as Canadian Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial. Located under the Ambassador Bridge in Assumption Park, it lists 103 names of casualties of known Canadian origin.
The North Wall Monument
The First World War memorial stands at the gates of Memorial Park, which dates back to 1925. This memorial has the names of 837 men and woman from the Windsor area who have died.
World War I Veterans Memorial
The Second World War monument can be found in Jackson Park. Located just South of Downtown. This park has many other monuments, plaques and trees that were dedicated to Veteran’s from land, sea, and air. Another WW II Memorial can be found along the river.
World War II Memorial
The Korean War memorial can be found Downtown in Dieppe Gardens. On the left side, the names of 516 fallen Canadians and on the right side, the names of those from the Windsor-Essex County alone.
Every year a Remembrance Day ceremony takes place at the Cenotaph at the City Hall in downtown Windsor, Ontario. Wreaths are laid, the Colour Guard Marches along with Windsor’s divisions and forces of the military.
