John McCrae statue, Green Island Park

[rocketphish]

A memorial of great importance and relevance to Canadians was just unveiled in an obscure little corner of Ottawa. Why wasn't this located somewhere along Wellington Street instead of the atrocity that will be the National Victims of Communism Memorial?

Statue for Flanders Field poet

By Doug Hempstead, Ottawa Sun
First posted: Sunday, May 03, 2015 06:35 PM EDT | Updated: Sunday, May 03, 2015 06:52 PM EDT



On the 100th anniversary of the creation of his great poem In Flanders Fields, a statue of John McCrae was unveiled at Green Island Park.

Nepean-Carleton MP Pierre Poilievre, representing the prime minister, was on hand to unveil the statue during the ceremony commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Second Battle of Ypres.

McCrae, a Canadian doctor who served in the First World War, wrote the poem on May 3, 1915 and it has come to be immortalized around the world as a symbol of service and sacrifice.

Some of the heaviest fighting of the First World War took place in the trenches near Ypres, Belgium, during what is known as the Second Battle of Ypres. It was here the Germans first used deadly chlorine gas against Allied troops. Despite the debilitating effects of the gas, Canadian soldiers fought relentlessly and held the line.

McCrae was a major at the time of this well-known battle and was inspired to write the poem following the death of his close friend and former student, who was killed in battle and buried in a makeshift grave amid poppies that were already beginning to bloom.

As a result, the poppy went on to become an important symbol of remembrance in many countries, honouring those who lost their lives in battle.

The successful stand at Ypres came at great cost. In the course of 48 hours, more than 2,000 made the ultimate sacrifice and 4,000 were wounded.

The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery received $31,351, through Veterans Affairs Canada's Community Engagement Partnership Fund, to help with the costs of the unveiling ceremony for the statue.

Twitter: @DougHempstead

http://www.ottawasun.com/2015/05/03/statue-for-flanders-field-poet

[J.OT13]

Damn, I had just posted this on General Update/Rumor thread. Well played Rocketphish!

John McCrae Statue unveiled across the old City Hall (now John G. Diefenbaker Building of Foreign Affairs) on Green Island


http://thechronicleherald.ca/canada/1284329-mccrae-statue-marks-in-flanders-fields-centennial

Few thoughts; that monument represents an important figure and moment in Canadian History and should have had a more prominent site like Confederation Square, the War Museum grounds or near Veteran's Affairs on Wellington, Sparks or the garden of the Provinces.

I would further like to add that the Victims of Communism (or more appropriately the Victims of Totalitarianism) should be built on that site, near the two Foreign Affairs buildings.