A contract valued at $6.1 million has been awarded to Can-Am Platforms and Construction Ltd. for the refurbishment of the National War Memorial in St. John’s. Refurbishing the National War Memorial will ensure it remains an enduring tribute to the brave Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who have served and continue to serve to protect the freedom that was fought for so many years ago.
In August 2022, the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure issued a Request for Proposals for a consultant team to develop and design a new site plan for the War Memorial. With the site plan now finalized, the latest contract signals the start of the construction phase of the project.
To provide an overview of the National War Memorial refurbishment project, the Royal Canadian Legion – Newfoundland and Labrador Command and the Provincial Government will host a public information session on Tuesday, August 15 at 7:00 p.m. at the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 56, Pleasantville. Anyone interested in learning more about the project is welcome to attend.
In July 2022, the Provincial Government announced it would partner with the Royal Canadian Legion – NL Command, Veterans Affairs Canada and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission on the refurbishment of the National War Memorial, including the repatriation of the remains of an unknown soldier from northern France. The remains will be reinterred in a specifically designed Tomb of the Unknown Solider at the National War Memorial in St. John’s. The reinternment of the remains will take place during a special ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the National War Memorial on July 1, 2024.
For this special project, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador has procured local granite and installation services from Ocean Floor Granite in Bishop’s Falls.
During the First World War, the Dominion of Newfoundland was a member of the British Empire. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission agreed to the repatriation of remains to Newfoundland and Labrador in recognition of the exceptional losses suffered by the Newfoundland Regiment on the first day of the Battle of the Somme (July 1, 1916). The agreement also ensured that Newfoundland would be afforded the same honour as other Dominions/Commonwealth countries, which received repatriated remains of a World War One soldier interred in a tomb. As the only province in Canada to have its own National War Memorial – a National Historic Site since 2019 – Newfoundland and Labrador will also be the only province to have a dedicated tomb component.
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians served on land, sea and by air during the First World War. The repatriation of the Unknown Soldier represents the efforts and sacrifices of all who served.
Quotes
“The National War Memorial in St. John’s is a touchstone for those who recognize and appreciate that their freedom comes at a significant cost. It signifies a solemn space where we pay tribute to those who fought to ensure the rights and freedoms we take for granted every day. Refurbishing this memorial is a means of continuing to honour their sacrifices by providing a space fitting of their service.”
Honourable John G. Abbott
Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure
“The return of the remains of an unknown Royal Newfoundland Regiment soldier who made the ultimate sacrifice during the First World War acknowledges the efforts and sacrifices of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who fought in all services, past and present. The Newfoundland National War Memorial is a solemn reminder for future generations of those who served and who continue to serve.”
Honourable Steve Crocker
Minister of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation
“The Royal Canadian Legion – NL Command, as ‘Guardians of Remembrance,’ proudly carries the symbolic torch passed to us by Lieutenant Colonel (Padre) Thomas Nangle, the person who brought our iconic National War Memorial to fruition in 1924 as its visionary, main fundraiser and project superintendent. On the eve of the 100th Anniversary of the Official Unveiling of our National War Memorial – 1 July 2024, and its component Repatriation Project, I assure our Veterans, past and present, their families and loved ones, that: At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, ‘“WE WILL REMEMBER THEM!’”
Comrade Gerald Budden
President Royal Canadian Legion – Newfoundland Labrador Command
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