History of the Pitt Meadows Cenotaph

The National Defense Memorial writes this about the cenotaph: Erected by the District of Pitt Meadows, this memorial is dedicated to the veterans and war dead of Canada’s wars. The Pitt Meadows cenotaph was constructed in 1990 in memory of all those who served and died for us. The late Mr. Walter Laseur (who collected money from dairy farmers for the cenotaph),Sieb Swiestra, and other local members of the Royal Canadian Legion and Municipality came together to design and construct the cenotaph and landscape surrounding it. 1990 was the first Remembrance Day ceremony held in Pitt Meadows. There was a plaque on the original base ‘A Pitt Meadows Foundation Project’ with the 75th (1914-1989) logo as this was made possible through generous individual donations. Another plaque ‘Pitt Meadows Memorial Park, Landscape improvements and walkways possible through the generous donation of the Pitt Meadows Lions Club.” The cenotaph had inscriptions “Lest We Forget” and “We will remember them” on the base and “In memory of all those who have served and died for us”.

In 2008-2009 with Spirit Square improvements the cenotaph was relocated onto a new base on the new plaza and an additional inscription was engraved on the reverse, the act of remembrance “They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old, age shall not weary them, not the years condemn, at the going down of the sun, and in the morning: we will remember them”. We also added eight bronze leaves at the time with the names of those soldiers who did not return (the cenotaph original did have leaves adorning it, they were just decorative). In 2011 we added two additional bronze leaves prior to the rededication in July 2011. The two men added in 2011 were Private Peter Gatey of the Westminster Regiment and Sergeant Robert Rich of the South Saskatchewan Regiment who both lost their lives during the Second World War in Europe.

Of the ten leaves, one is for R.F.C. Thomson, the one Pitt Meadows soldier from the First World War who is also remembered with honour on the Vimy Memorial in France.

H.N. McTavish was in the US forces when he died in Darwin Australia, he was buried in Golden Gate Cemetery in San Bruno CA, and is also recognized on the cenotaph in Port Coquitlam.

P. Gatey is also recognized on a cenotaph in Wawota, Saskatchewan, dedicated to the memory of Wawota and the area who gave their lives.

The last soldier to die from our cenotaph, R. Rich passed on March 3rd, 1945 just prior to the announcement of VE day May 8th, 1945.

H.E. Robinson was one of the youngest soldiers on our cenotaph at 20 years. He is at the Havelee War Cemetery. He is buried in the last row of the cemetery.

The names listed on the cenotaph are W.J. Fernquist (20 years old, February 1st, 1945),B.E. Norman (30 years old, August 12th, 1944),R.V.W. Sharpe (22 years old, July 29th, 1944),R.A.S. Lasser (21 years old, March 5th, 1944),J. Pastorek (22 years old, September 20th, 1943),H. McTavish (28 years old, February 19th, 1942),H.E. Robinson (20 years old, July 16th, 1941),R.F.C. Thomson (39 years old, September 26th, 1916),P. Gatey (23 years old, September 2nd, 1944),and R. Rich (26 years, March 3rd, 1945).

Lest we Forget.