Today, 2 May, is the anniversary of the 1885 Battle of Cut Knife Hill. Fatalities included volunteers William B Osgood(e) and John Rogers from the Ottawa Company of Sharpshooters.
Ottawa’s Cartier Square Drill Hall is the site of a statue in their honour, funded by public subscription. The bas-relief portrait of Osgood(e) is on one side of the monument.
“To honour and remember the sacrifices of the more than 118,000 Canadians and Newfoundlanders who, since Confederation, have given their lives serving in uniform.” Those are the words used to describe the Canadian Virtual War Memorial and Books of Remembrance. With the exception of NWMP the 1885 North-West Canada fatalities are missing, the only soldiers not memorialized in this way. That’s something Canada’s Department of Veteran’s Affairs acknowledges is deliberate.
While we speak and write about them they will be remembered.
Why?
“That’s something Canada’s Department of Veteran’s Affairs acknowledges is deliberate.”
Why?
When I enquired of the Department of Veterans Affairs I was informed on 1 February that “a North-West Rebellion Book of Remembrance has been considered in the past. It was agreed that it would be important to acknowledge those who fought on both sides and decision makers were advised that it would be very difficult to obtain all the names. Therefore, the decision was made to not to go ahead with such a project.”
So because the Veterans Dept was afraid that they would leave out some names, they didn ‘ t remember any ?? How foolish!! Start the list & descendants & curious PHDs will update it!!
I agree with KayThe Gardener. They should start the list and descendants and curious people with update indeed.