Unveiling & Rededicating WWI Cenotaph & Mortar

Royal Canadian Mounted Police Cst. Susan Phillips,
WWII Veteran Jim Summersides, Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn
and Niagara Centre MP Vance Badawey.
Photo Credit: Laura Barton/Welland Tribune

On behalf of Pelham Council and the community, it was my honour to help unveil and rededicate two significant historic and cultural artifacts – a WWI Cenotaph and the newly restored WWI Mortar – at Old Pelham Hall on Saturday.

Because of the generous partnership of the Town with the Canadian Government, the Royal Canadian Legion, and caring citizens, these newly restored artifacts now stand as a constant reminder of the ultimate sacrifices paid by Pelham residents and other Canadian soldiers in World War I to secure our freedoms.

The beautifully restored cenotaph was completed last year, in time for our 2015 Remembrance Day commemoration. May the names of those 18 local soldiers killed in battle for our freedoms also be engraved in our minds and on our hearts.

The WWI German Trench Mortar (called a minenwerfer) was captured by the 31st Battalion, Alberta Regiment, Canadian Expeditionary Force, in a raid on enemy trenches at Neuville Vitasse, France, on 23-24 of June 1918.

The mortar, considered a “War Trophy,” was awarded to the former Township of Pelham in 1921 by the Government of Canada. It was placed next to the Cenotaph in Ridgeville as a memorial to those from this area and the 31st Battalion, who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Great War 1914-18.

Historic research showed that Government provided this mortar with the understanding that it “belongs to the Crown and to the people of Canada…and was to be preserved and respected.”

Research also shows that this mortar is very rare. It was one of 101 trench mortars brought to Canada and is one of very few not melted down for the World War II war effort.

Photo Credit: Laura Barton/Welland Tribune

Sadly, through the 95 years since it was first placed here, memories faded and few knew the real history or recognized the significance of the mortar. The artifact deteriorated and there was talk of removing it altogether and replacing it with an artifact from the World War II or the Korean War.

Thankfully, a group of dedicated citizens and representatives came together to work with the Town and Council to help recommend what to do. Among others, these included Carolyn Botari, Dell Clark, Gary Chambers, Jake Dilts, Leo Giovenazzo, Mary Lamb, Bernie Law, and Jim Summersides.

Council and I deeply appreciate the work of these caring citizens, of Town Staff, the Royal Canadian Legion, Veterans Affairs, the Canadian Government, and the conservation company to fully restore and tell the story of this mortar for generations to come.

Further, we hope that these newly restored artifacts – outside our recently revitalized Old Pelham Town Hall – stand as a constant reminder of the ultimate sacrifices paid by Canadian soldiers in World War I to secure our freedoms.

______________________________________________________

Thanks to the hundreds who participated in and attended the special ceremony, including:

• Veterans & Members of Canadian Armed Forces;
• Members of the Royal Canadian Legion & Ladies Auxiliary, Branch 613;
• Members of the Burl-Oak Naval Veterans;
• Members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police;
• Branch 613 Army Cadets;
• 87 Eagle Squadron Royal Canadian Air Cadets;

  

  Photo Credit: Laura Barton/Welland Tribune

• Grimsby Pipe Band;
• Reverend Myers;
• Mr. Allison, MP Niagara-West;
• Mr. Badawey, MP Niagara-Centre;
• Regional Councillors Baty & Quirk;
• Town of Pelham Councillors & Staff;
• Members of the Citizen Advisory Committee;
• David Hulley, Emcee.

Special thanks to Jim Summersides, World War II Hero, for assisting with the unveiling of the newly restored mortar and plaque.

2016 Road, Bridges, Sidewalk Projects in Pelham

Jim Summersides, First Special Service Force veteran,
awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, February 2015,
in Washington DC (Photo Credit: Eric Morgensen)

To build on my column last week about some of the largest projects for 2016, I wanted to continue to inform you about some of the major road, bridge and sidewalk improvement planned for Pelham this year.

• Highway 20 Resurfacing / New Sidewalk to E.L. Crossley: The Region approved resurfacing of Regional Road 20 from Lookout Street to Centre Street this year. The Town will fund a new, asphalt sidewalk/trail along the South-side of the road from Timmsdale Crescent to E.L. Crossley High School. I hope this will be of great benefit to students and families!

• Highland Avenue: Council re-approved the final phase of reconstruction of Highland (from Elizabeth to Canboro), including a new waterline, and sewer laterals (as needed). You may recall that this work was supposed to be done in 2015; it was deferred to allow for a better storm-water management design.

• Effingham Street: Another year, another section of Effingham. This year, we will reconstruct Effingham from Highway 20 to Canboro Road in Ridgeville.

• Sawmill “Bridge”: Replacing the corrugated steel “bridge” on Sawmill (just east of Centre Street) with a new concrete structure was deferred from last year because of environmental constraints. The Town continues to evaluate and improve bridges throughout Pelham.

• Church Street Sidewalk: Promised last year, Council re-approved funds this year because the pricing was too high in 2015 to construct the missing section of sidewalk on the west-side of Church from where it ends (near 1010 Church) to the railway track.

• Roland Road: Despite best efforts to reconstruct Roland Road in 2015, Town staff informed Council it will finally get fixed this spring.

• Pelham Street North / Hurricane Road: After expanding the scope of this project to include an upgrade to the stormwater management facility on Shorthill Place, Council approved road reconstruction on Pelham (Broad Street to Hurricane) and of Hurricane (Pelham to Chestnut) to fix historic storm water issues and replace more cast-iron watermains.

• Summersides Boulevard: Council approved the construction of a new street linking Downtown Fonthill (by extending Pelham Town Square) with Wellspring Way and Rice Road in the East Fonthill development. The street will include a centre boulevard, trees, and +3 metre multipurpose sidewalks/trails on both sides. Council will name it after Jim Summersides, a World War II veteran of the elite, joint Canadian-American “First Special Service Force,” a dedicated member of the Royal Canadian Legion (Fonthill Branch 613), and a volunteer public speaker to school children about the travesties of war.

More about our other planned capital improvements for 2016 next time.