CARILLON 100 Norfolk’s War Memorial A Century of Remembering
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orld War I, also known as the Great War, started in 1914 and lasted until 1918. During the four-year conflict, the Central Powers battled the Allied Powers that included Canada. Those who served experienced the horrors of trench warfare with unprecedented levels of carnage and destruction. The Allied Powers were ultimately victorious but sadly by the time it was all over, more than 16 million people, soldiers and civilians alike, were dead. In the fall of 1919, a mass meeting was called in Simcoe to consider a special tribute to memorialize Norfolk County’s war heroes, those that had fallen in battle during WWI. A committee was struck to decide on the type of memorial to be constructed, to choose an appropriate location, and to raise funds. The committee’s decision to erect a stone tower, sixty feet in height, to contain a Carillon of 23 bells was an ambitious one but it demonstrated the respect and appreciation they held for all those who had made the ultimate sacrifice. The funds for construction were raised through public conscription in a county-wide campaign. The committee joined forces with the Simcoe High School War Memorial Committee and the Board of Education provided the site where the Memorial stands today. The Norman architecture tower was designed by Sproatt and Rolph Architects and the Schultz Construction Company of Brantford erected the tower. It was built of Hagersville limestone, trimmed with Indiana Stone. The bells were ordered from the famous bell founders, Messrs. Gillette and Johnston, of Croydon, England. The afternoon of Wednesday, June 17, 1925, was proclaimed a half-day holiday so that everyone could attend the dedication ceremony of Norfolk’s War Memorial. By all accounts, it was a beautiful day and thousands of people attended the inspirational ceremony. One of the largest parades in Norfolk’s history moved through downtown Simcoe to the Carillon Tower, led by the Boy Scouts and over 500 Great War Veterans. The Waterford Star reported on June 18, 1925, “Dignified and impressive were the ceremonies that marked the unveiling of Norfolk’s magnificent War Memorial in the presence of an enormous assembly of citizens of Norfolk, adjoining counties and more distant communities yesterday Next year on June 17, 2025, Norfolk County will hold a ceremony to rededicate Norfolk’s War Memorial to mark its 100th anniversary. Carillon 100 will begin much the same as it did in 1925 with a large parade winding its way through the streets of Simcoe ending at the Carillon Tower where a rededication service will be held. Norfolk’s War Memorial is a solemn and steadfast reminder of all those who fought and gave their lives in battle – the Great War, World War 2 and the Afghanistan conflict. We are indebted to each name on the Tower as each one represents one of Norfolk’s own and the sacrifice they made on our behalf. We Will Remember Them.
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