The Algonquin Regiment War Memorial by Dr Stephen Connor
The Algonquin Regiment in World War II was a Canadian Army infantry battalion initially recruited in northern Ontario. Throughout the first four years of the war, the Algonquins nurtured a unique character centred on notions of a ‘northern identity.’
Preparing for the inevitable turmoil of battle, the Regiment took pride in its northern roots best reflected in the bull moose crest and the Ojibwa motto Ne-Kah-Ne-Tah (We Lead, Others Follow).
On 25 July 1944, the Regiment landed in Normandy. Over the next 10 months, the Algonquins fought in every major campaign conducted by the Canadian Army and played a pivotal role in the liberation of France, Belgium, Holland, and the invasion of Germany itself. By war’s end, the near-constant battle resulted in over 340 men killed in action and hundreds wounded, both physically and psychologically.
Such losses and the need for replacements transformed the Regiment’s composition and by May 1945, the Algonquins represented Canada in microcosm boasting soldiers from across the country.
The bonds of comradeship lasted far after the war ended. Indeed, many Algonquins remained with the unit, serving in the peace-time militia. But many others returned to their hometowns far from the north.
To retain their connection to a shared history, former comrades founded the Algonquin Veterans' Association, meeting regularly at reunions and parades. In 1952, James Sunstrum, Wib Fischer, and Clem Beauchesne proposed the creation of a war memorial in North Bay to honour all ranks of the Algonquin Regiment killed in action.
As a site dedicated to the sacrifices of the Algonquins, the Veterans’ Association joined serving members of the Regiment at an annual Remembrance Day ceremony held on the closest Sunday to 8 May, the anniversary of the war’s end in 1945.
Over time, the site transformed significantly, as has the annual day of remembrance, now held on 11 November when active Algonquins lay a wreath at the monument.
Over the last few years, Dr. Stephen Connor of Nipissing University, and Anna Pearson of Sunset Park Public School, regularly bring students to the monument to ensure future generations understand the story of the memorial and the sacrifice that it remembers. Lest we forget.
