Lloydminster was among the thousands of communities across Canada that marked the unparalleled loss of life in World War I with cenotaphs commemorating the war dead. Below is the newspaper account of the proceedings at the unveiling of the cenotaph.
The occasion brought together a cross section of Lloydminster's past and future. The cenotaph was placed intentionally in front of the new Public School for two reasons: one, to present the example of service above self which the soldiers represented as an object lesson to the coming generations who would attend the school and, two, because in the school building were encapsulated all the community's pride in having come so far, from open prairie to imposing brick structures in little more than 20 years, as well as all its hopes for a bright and prosperous future. Symbolically, those present ranged from the students to Lloydminster's founding father, Bishop G. E. Lloyd.
Note as well the rhetoric of the era and consider how outraged those present in 1926 would have been at the notion considered in 1999 that the cenotaph could easily be moved to another "more convenient location" to allow for commercial development on the site.
Lloydminster Times, April 1926
Sunday last was a red-letter day in the annuls of Lloydminster and district, the occasion being the unveiling of the fine war memorial and the formal handing over of the same to the town, village and district. This splendid cenotaph has been erected in perhaps the most suitable place it could be, viz: in front of the new public school where the children of coming generations will be constantly reminded of those who laid down their lives in the cause of justice and righteousness in the Great War.
Although the roads were in a very bad state owing to the heavy rains of Friday night, yet scores of cars came in from all points, and including the school children, formed around the structure, there were probably at least 1,500 persons present. On the platform erected alongside the monument were the Bishop of Saskatchewan (Bishop Lloyd) in his bishop’s scarlet robes, Rev. A. Cross (Rector), Father Dobson (Catholic) T. F. Lund (Union), J. Lloyd Hughes (Presbyterian); L Freeman, Northminster; Catechists Darby and Smith; Capt. Tobin, Salvation Army, and two cadets; the Mayor (W. L. Cameron, Esq.); Reeve J. D. Munro: Col. Laws (President of the War Memorial Committee); Messrs. Gordon Cook, (Chairman of the school board) and S. M. Daly and A. S. Pollard (church-wardens).
The Citizens’ Band and the combined choirs of the churches led the singing of the hymns, etc., under the direction of Mrs. A. Cross. The proceedings commenced by the singing of “O Canada,” and the hymn “O God Our Help in Ages Past,” then Father Dobson offered prayer.
Col. Laws, D.S.O., C. de G., in his opening remarks said: “My Lord Bishop and fellow citizens of Lloydminster and district, this memorial has been erected to the memory of those lads who laid down their lives in the Great War. I have the pleasure of handing over the memorial to the Mayor of the Town of Lloydminster [Saskatchewan] and the Reeve of [the village of] Lloydminster [Alberta], as representing Lloydminster and district, and hope they will keep it as a place of beauty. I personally knew most of the lads whose names are on the monument and had the privilege of commanding some of them, and there were no better soldiers than those brave lads. The citizens of Lloydminster and district, in the erection of this memorial have shown in a tangible way that they recognize what the soldiers stood for. I hoped the place will be cared for and handed down to future citizens as Lloydminster’s tribute to the men of the district who have fallen. I desired to, as the representative of the Memorial Committee, formally to now hand over the monument to the town and village."
Mayor Cameron, in accepting the memorial on behalf of the town said:
“Your Lordship, Bishop Lloyd, Col. Laws and fellow citizens.
The duty of formally accepting into our keeping the memorial to our boys
who gave their lives in the Great War has fallen upon Mr. Munro and myself. Knowing the quality of the citizenship of the people of this
district and I refer to the entire district, -- for my part it is with an easy
mind that I accept this monument on your behalf, feeling confident that the
surroundings will ever accord with the nobleness of its purpose.
Let this monument ever remind us and those who are to follow, of the best
traditions of our race to live honorably and be true unto death."
Reeve Munro wished to endorse what the Mayor had said. They were there to represent the citizens of the town and district, for all had taken a share in the memorial. He would give all the assistance in his power to the Mayor in trying to pass on as a sacred trust what had now been committed to them. It would be an object lesson to the young of what had been done by those to who the memorial had been erected. The Rev. T. F. Lund then read the Scripture lesson, after which Bishop Lloyd addressed the big concourse of people.
"I would like to say a word or two before the unveiling. We are gathered here for a very special purpose, and the first thing that struck me was that the memorial committee had decided to place the memorial in the forefront of the new school building. They did right. It was the custom in the Old Testament days, to put a pile of stones in this place or that place, so that the question might be asked in after days “What mean ye by these stones?” It was by this means that a nation’s traditions could be built up.
This gathering is firstly a memorial service to show our affection for those who laid down their lives. We remember and cherish their memories – to the number of nearly 100. They were men we knew and we respected and loved them because they did this as an example of self-sacrifice. No nation that endures is founded on selfishness. The flags should float half-mast high for the first part of the memorial service, but they should be raised to the top of the mast for the commemoration of “our glorious dead” who looked forward to the continued preservation of what they called the British Empire.
The best guarantee of that preservation is the acting together of the English-speaking world, of which the British Empire is so large a part. In order to maintain our country, our flag and our empire there must be devotion to duty, which was so strikingly exemplified by those who we are this day honouring. There are others standing here today, who have not paid the supreme sacrifice, but who have done everything but that. We belong to a great race, and it was made great by such sacrifices as we were celebrating today. We have developed a national conscience and a national responsibility.
This is a religious gathering in which we are taking part this day. Where are those men whose names appear on the monument? Is there nothing to be done for those who have done their duty? Turn to the New testament and read such words as these “I would not have you be ignorant brethren to mourn as those without hope, those who died in Christ Jesus." All the way through the Old Testament and the New, the emphasis is laid on our seeing what is right, and then doing it. Those we honour here did their duty, whether it led to reward or not; those who did their duty to the uttermost, have not lost by it. They have lost perhaps five, 10, 15 or 20 years down here. They can say “We have done our duty to the very last; and now do yours,” for they have died defending their country, so we must now build it along right lines."
In closing, Bishop Lloyd said it was a matter to him of great pleasure in being present that afternoon – and he used the word in the fullest sense. He then pulled the string that released the flags draped about the monument.
The Rev. J. Lloyd Hughes then offered the dedicatory prayer.
After the unveiling the hymn “For All the Saints who from Their Labours Rest,” was sung and the placing of wreaths at the foot of the memorial was next in order.
The “Last Post” was then sounded by Mr. Herbert Tebo, and the benediction by the Rev. A. Cross, L. The., (Rector) with the National Anthem brought the proceedings to a close.
THE FLORAL TRIBUTES were sent from the comrades of the fallen boys, the Churches and Lodges, and from Town and Village, and relatives of those who had died for their King and country:
“From the G.W.V.A.”
”The Ladies Auxillary of the G.W.V.A.”
“Sacred to the memory of J.R. Dalley, from his mother,”
“In loving memory of Frank, from Norah.”
“In loving memory of A. Pensom, from George and Sarah.”
“To H.J. Iremonger, from Mr. Stewart.”
“In loving memory of Cecil Lynch, from M.L.E.”
“In loving memory of Uncle Frank, from Howard.”
“In loving memory, from J.S. Phillpotts and family.”
"Sergt. Frank Everitt, from mother and sister.”
“In loving memory of Allan.”
“In sacred and deep loving memory of Lieut. Fernley Winter Hainsby the pure devoted son of Mrs. E. Hainsby.”
"In loving memory of Allan, from brother and sister."
"To our beloved brother, J. Dalley, from his brother, sisters, and family."
“In sincere and loving memory of Fred, from home.”
“In affectionate memory of Bibby and Pape, from Capt. and Mrs. C.A. J. Bowen.”
“In memory of Harold and Herbert Hathaway, from their sister.”
“In loving memory of James Fred Smith, from brother and sister.”
“In loving memory of Capt. A.H. Bibby from Mrs. Bibby and children.”
“In loving memory of Uncle Allan (Sergt. A. Laws), from Hilda and family.”
“In memory of W. Whitehead, from Mr. And Mrs. Bert Frost, Doris and Phyllis.”
“Austin Bourne and James Ford, from Father and Mother.”
“In loving memory of Lieut. Cecil Hudson, from Mother.”
“In memory of Sergt. W. A. Johnson, from Mr. And Mrs. F. Jenkinson.”
“In loving memory of Lieut. B. H. Rowles, from wife and children.”
“The Town of Lloydminster.”
“Village of Lloydminster.”
“In memory of those who lost their lives, Knox Presbyterian Church.”
“From the congregation of St. John’s Church.”
“In memory of our brave and glorious dead, from St. Anthony’s Catholic Church.”
“With grateful memory, from the United Church.”
“From the Lloydminster Board of Trade.”
“With deepest sympathy, from the Officers and Brethren of Britannia Lodge.”
“From Meridian Lodge, I.O.O.F.”
“Heartfelt remembrance, from the 32nd Batt.”
“In affectionate memory, from members of the Orange Lodge.”
“From members of the Overseas Club, in memory of the great sacrifice.”
“In proud memory of our fallen comrades, Officers and N.C.O.’s and Men of 1st S.M.R.’s.”
“To the boys of the 9th C.M.R.’s from those who returned.”
“In loving memory of our boys who fell, from a friend.”
“In memory of our friend, Bill Weeks.”
“In loving memory of Major C. B. Despard, from Mr. And Mrs. Crossley.
Dozens of children also brought sprays and nosegays of beautiful flowers without any inscription.