The Colville Memorial Clock Tower was erected in remembrance of three brothers: William, age 25, Alexander, age 28, and John Colville, age 24, from Bowmanville. The Colville brothers were killed in action while serving as pilots overseas in the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War. The memorial clock tower is dedicated to their memory.*************************************
This monument is a lasting tribute to the Colville brothers. It is also a reminder that many members of our community unselfishly went off to the war to give all Canadians a future in our country.
I see that the remembrance day by you and in England are on the same day as I saw on television a grand remembrance in the Royal Albert Hall. In the Netherlands we do it on 4 May.
ReplyDeleteYup... Every year on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. In Canada if you are not wearing a poppy pin it is considered and insult to our troops and to those that have served in the past.
DeleteA nice composition!
ReplyDeleteI don't think we have this kind of day in Norway...
Wow! It would be very difficult to lose three sons like that. It's a beautiful memorial and well-deserved. I haven't seen poppy pins in this country for a long time. Maybe I don't get out enough.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have a remembrance day but it is a good way to honor those who lost their lives serving their country.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful memorial, Andy, but I'm sure it never replaced those three young men.
ReplyDeleteJust last year, the mayor of a town in France named a street after my mother's cousin Henry MacKenzie, another RCAF pilot whose plate was shot down nearby. We smile to think of Rue MacKenzie in a little town in France. Harry would be pleased, we think.
K
Happy Vet Day top all!
ReplyDeleteA nice way to remember these boys. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful - and heartbreaking - memorial and reminder. What a crushing blow to lose three sons from the same family.
ReplyDeletePoppy pins were far more common when I was a child and WWII was fresher in people's memories. It seems that people in the U.S. don't stick much with that tradition anymore. I wonder if the Vietnam war had anything to do with it.
Terrific that they were remembered, even as late as 1996, when I see the plaque went up.
ReplyDeleteWe have something similar in a museum dedicated to the five Sullivan Brothers of Waterloo, Iowa. They all served on the same ship in World War II and killed following a Japanese naval encounter in the Pacific. This loss led to some rules about how many family members could serve on the same ship or unit.
ReplyDeleteSome veteran organaizations sell poppies (as paper flowers) around this time of year. I've notice less and less of the tradition. But the salute to the veterans in other ways seem to be gaining more attention - like tributes at college and professional football games yesterday.
Thank you to all Canadian veterans who served. While it is sometimes difficult to hear how other allied nations have served during the major conflicts, it is important to point out and honor those who fight for freedom and liberty.
I think I know where this small park is but I can't say I've ever seen this memorial before. Something to look for the next time I cross the bridge and climb those stairs. Thanks for this, Andy.
ReplyDeleteI've been stabbing myself on the pin of my poppy all week! That is a fine monument to those 3 brothers. I was down at the lakeshore this morning at 11 and saw the old planes flying over.(Lancasters I think). It was very moving.
ReplyDeleteAn utterly heartbreaking story, a beautiful memorial.
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