National War Memorial

On Confederation Square, a few steps from Parliament Hill, a bronze group of figures passes through a granite arch, and the whole composition has become Canada’s central place of remembrance in Ottawa, Ontario. The National War Memorial, titled The Response, was designed by the British sculptor Vernon March, who died before it was finished, and his siblings completed the work. It was unveiled by King George VI in May 1939, during the royal tour that preceded the Second World War, and it was originally dedicated to Canadians who died in the First World War. The monument stands about 21 metres tall.

The sculpture shows twenty-two bronze figures, men and women from different services, moving through the arch with their guns and equipment, pulled forward by the sense of duty. On top of the arch, the winged figures of Peace and Freedom hold their arms high, and the arch itself is made of granite quarried in Quebec. The theme is that of Canadians answering a call, and the work was intended to speak both of sacrifice and of hope.

The memorial's meaning has widened over time. In the early 1980s the dates of the Second World War and the Korean War were added, so that it became a memorial to all who served in the country's wars. Later, the Second Boer War and the War in Afghanistan were also commemorated. In 2000, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was placed on the plaza at the foot of the memorial, containing the remains of an unidentified Canadian soldier brought home from the battlefield near Vimy Ridge in France. Its granite sarcophagus is inscribed with the names of major battles, and visitors can walk right up to it.

Ceremonial guards stand watch at the memorial, working in shifts through the warm months and dressed in the uniforms of various regiments. The site is the focus of the national Remembrance Day ceremony on 11 November, when the Governor General, the Prime Minister, veterans and thousands of Canadians gather at the base. Visitors are asked to behave quietly and respectfully, and not to climb on the structure or the tomb.

The memorial is free to visit at all hours, and it is close to the Rideau Canal, the National Gallery of Canada, ByWard Market and the Parliament buildings, so it fits easily into a walk through the capital. Veterans Affairs Canada provides further information, including the history of the memorial and details of upcoming ceremonies.