Books of Remembrance
"...We Will Remember Them"
Treasured here are the only replicas (outside Government
circles) of the Books of Remembrance, the originals of which are are housed in the Peace Tower at Ottawa. These
books contain the names of all Canadians who made the supreme sacrifice in World
Wars I and II, plus a Book for Newfoundland and a Book for The Merchant Navy.
 The
First War Books are on view at all times in the honoured section of
the magnificent tablet, as shown here. The balance
of the Books are displayed in a case made from the communion table originally
carved for the church, and now located in the east Transept. All can be inspected each Sunday
following the morning service and from 2 to 4 pm each Remembrance Day.
The Books of Remembrance for World War I were presented at a
service on November 1, 1946, by the Honourable Douglas Abbott, then Minister of
national Defence. The Books for World War II were presented on March 8,
1959 by the Honourable George Pearkes, V.C., in similar capacity. The Book
for Newfoundland and The Merchant Navy were presented in the 1990's. The
beautiful Memorial Tablet, as shown above, was artistically carved from a block
of Caen stone by Mr. Thomas Garrow - a stone used in many cathedrals. On
either side of the Books of remembrance, as if guarding them, appear the angel
Michael and the angel Gabriel - the angels of Justice and Peace. The outer
border interweaves the maple leaf and the poppy. The inner border is the
grape vine, in leaf and cluster, representing sacrifice. Behind the angels
of peace and justice are the beautifully carved rose, thistle, shamrock and
fleur-de-lis, representative of Canada's ethnic background.
Digital Books
You
can view a
digital copy
of the Books of Remembrance on the Veterans Affairs Canada website. You
can also take a
virtual tour
of the Memorial Chamber in the Peace Tower on the Parliament of Canada website. Virtual War Memorial
You can
search for a particular
name in the books using the Canadian Virtual War Memorial provided by the
Veterans Affairs Canada website. |
