CORNWALL, Ontario – A new plaque has been added to the Historical Cornwall Walking tour and is a fitting tribute for Remembrance Day.
The plaque, designed by artist Pierre Giroux, depicts a field of tulips in commemoration of the liberation of Holland during World War II by Canadian soldiers.
The plaque was made through a partnership between Centretown Cornwall, the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 297 and the Cornwall and District Horticultural Society.
Located at the Cornwall Cenotaph on Second St. the tulips depicted in the plaque pair nicely with the gardens of tulips installed by the Horticultural Society.
The plaque was made with input of the Royal Canadian Legion. Bill Shearing was on hand at the unveiling of the plaque to give some history of the involvement of the local regiment, the SD&G Highlanders, in the liberation of Holland.
Shearing explained that local boys fought and died in the struggle against the Nazis in Holland. In one small town, the Highlanders captured a windmill that had been turned into a machine gun nest, but at the cost of 11 lives. Those soldiers are commemorated in Holland and in that town that they helped to liberate, there is a street named after each man who died.
“This plaque is easily my favourite,” said Centretown Coordinator Todd Lihou.
Artist Pierre Girouz said that he took inspiration for the design of the plaque from his favourite artist, Monet.
The plaque was unveiled on Friday, Nov. 10, 2017, one day before the park around the Cenotaph is filled by those attending the annual Remembrance Day ceremonies.
