Streetsville Cenotaph Unveiling - July 1, 1926

As Remembrance Day (November 11th) approaches, you may be considering attending one of the many Remembrance Day ceremonies at our city’s cenotaphs. Our oldest cenotaph, the Port Credit Soldiers’ Memorial, was unveiled on November 9, 1925. The following year, on July 1, 1926, Streetsville unveiled their cenotaph, officially known as the Great War Overseas Veterans’ Memorial. They stand tall and proud, honouring their community’s fallen from the First World War, Second World War and Korean War.

You stand in front of them as the bugle sounds through the eerie stillness, strong and true. During the moment of silence, your eyes move from sky, to onlooker, to wreaths, and finally the cenotaph and the rows of names carved into it. But have you ever stopped to think about who these men and women were? What is their story? Why did they go to war? Who loved them and missed them? Why did they never come home? These are just a few of their stories:

James Dunn

James William Dunn was born September 14, 1893 in Norfolk, England and later immigrated to Streetsville where he worked as a butcher. Shortly after the first recruitment meeting was held in Streetsville, James enlisted for the First World War on November 1, 1915. The Streetsville Review wrote that it was "a fine showing for a small place like Streetsville and reflects credit on this loyal old village. The men who are enrolled are a fine class of fellows and every one of them will be sorely missed." Before Private Dunn went overseas, he was presented with a safety razor by the brothers of the Oddfellow's hall, saying "In presenting this to you, it is our hope that while you are fighting somewhere in France, or wherever you may be, your closest shave, will be one from this razor."

Unfortunately, this was not to be the case. Private Dunn served with the 3rd Battalion and was killed in action on August 31, 1918 by shell fire while manning a machine gun outpost at Arras, France. He was evacuated immediately but died shortly after at the age of 24. Today, he is remembered on the Streetsville Cenotaph.

William Clipperton

William "Billy" Henry Clipperton was born in Toronto on April 10th, 1886. He studied at McGill University and the University of Toronto for teaching. He later became the principal at Streetsville High School from 1908-9. William enlisted to serve in the First World War in March 1916 with the 203rd Winnipeg Battalion and went overseas in October. Having served previously from 1910-11, he was given the rank of Captain. However, he yearned to serve on the front lines, an impossibility for someone holding such a high and prestigious rank. In May 1917, William voluntarily reverted to the rank of Lieutenant so that he could fight on the front and joined the 8th Battalion in France. On August 15th, having led his platoon to its objective on Hill 70, Lieutenant Clipperton was shot by a sniper through the throat and lung. Unable to move from the position, he spent hours wounded in a dugout until he was removed to No. 18 Casualty Clearing Station, where he died two days later. He is remembered on the Streetsville Cenotaph.

Franklin Walter Ott

Franklin Walter Ott was born August 1st, 1893, in Brantford, Ontario. On March 17th, 1915, while still a law student and living in Toronto, Franklin enlisted to fight in the First World War. At the time his stepfather, Charles Elliott, was the Reeve of Port Credit.

Fighting with the 116th Battalion, he served at the Battles of Vimy Ridge, St. Eloi, Lens, Hill 70, and Passchendaele, among others. Franklin was promoted to Captain on March 18, 1918. Captain Ott was mentioned in dispatches by General Haig in April 1918 for gallant and distinguished services in the field: "He, when in charge of a company during an advance, showed the greatest skill and courage in handling his men. He organized bombing parties, and led them against enemy posts, capturing prisoners and two machine guns. During the enemy counterattack he collected eight men, repulsed several attacks, showing a great example to his men and being the last to leave when the post was forced against very heavy odds to retire. He again organized a party and retook the post. He showed great initiative in consolidating and holding the position against all counter-attacks." For his bravery, he was awarded the Military Cross.

He was killed in action on September 17, 1918, at the battle of Arras when he was struck by a shell in a trench with his Colonel and two other officers. Captain Ott is commemorated on the Port Credit Cenotaph.

John Fellows

Flight Sergeant John A. Fellows was born on May 28, 1919 in Hamilton, Ontario. John attended Streetsville High School from 1936-7 and worked as a typesetter in the printing office of The Streetsville Review from 1936 until he enlisted on October 8, 1940. He enjoyed swimming, hockey, rugby, basketball, soccer, biology, and chemistry. However, his favourite pastime was making model airplanes and he expressed a keen interested in aeronautics. It must have felt like a dream to enlist with the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War. He was pleasant, though a little nervous, but he knew that soon enough he would return home from his exciting adventure and hit the books to pursue a degree in chemical engineering. However, plans rarely unfold as we expect them to. John Fellows was killed whilst conducting air operations overseas on December 17, 1942. Today, Fellows is still remembered on the Streetsville Cenotaph.

Selwyn Adamson

Leading Coder Selwyn Arthur Adamson was born in Erindale on June 2, 1913. Of his prewar experience, it was likely his time served as a deckhand aboard the SS Heron Bay Great Lakes freight steamship that led him to serve with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. Lead Coder Adamson completed his training on May 31, 1943 and boarded destroyer HMCS St. Croix, which was tasked with escorting convoys across the Atlantic Ocean.

HMCS St. Croix was on patrol in the Bay of Biscay on September 16th, when it was dispatched to the aid of two convoys which were both under heavy attack from German wolf packs. During the ten-day battle that ensued, the convoys lost three escorts and six merchant vessels, but managed to sink three U-boats. However, on September 20, 1943, their luck ran out. HMCS St. Croix was struck by three torpedoes and sank southeast of Iceland, killing Selwyn Adamson. He is remembered on the Port Credit Cenotaph.

Cyril Hare

Sergeant Cyril Walter Hare was born on May 20, 1922 in Port Credit, Ontario. Cyril was an avid sportsman, playing net for the Port Credit High School hockey team, and as a shortstop in baseball. He was also active in the Port Credit Sea Scouts and enjoyed sailing small boats on Lake Ontario. After leaving school, Sgt Hare spent two years working as a clerk at Highway Hardware Stores Ltd. in Port Credit and aspired to one day join the RCMP. During the Second World War, Cyril enlisted with the 48th Highlanders of Canada in 1940. Eager to fight, Cyril had to lie about his date of birth, as he was too young for frontline service at the time. In order to make sure he could get overseas quickly, Sgt Hare transferred to the Highland Light Infantry of Canada (HLI), with whom several of his friends had already enlisted.
On June 6, 1944, Hare landed on Juno Beach on D-day. Sgt Hare's older brother, Alan, was First Lieutenant on one of the landing craft that delivered the HLI to the beach. According to the family stories, Alan and Cyril found each other on the beach and were able to wave at one another. Unbeknownst to the brothers, it would be the last time they saw one another. On March 4, 1945, he was scheduled to fall back for a period of rest, but the following day, Cyril volunteered to escort another officer to the frontline near Xanten, Germany. The choice would prove fatal. Sgt Hare was killed in battle while fighting for the strategically critical and "fanatically" defended high ground south of Xanten, Germany. His noble sacrifice is remembered on the Port Credit Cenotaph.

Port Credit Cenotaph WW1 names

Port Credit Cenotaph WW2 names

The lives of these soldiers remind us of all that they gave up for our freedom today. They had lives. They had parents, sibling, sweethearts, friends, and children whom they never got to grow old with. They had hopes and dreams that were never fulfilled. The possibilities of what they could have become echoes in the solemn lines on the cenotaphs. They are not just names on our cenotaphs, they were us not long ago. We who remain have been given the gift of life and freedom thanks to their sacrifices. It is our job now to make the most of that gift.