North Dundas is observing Remembrance Day again this year in a big way, with ten communities taking part in an initiative launched in 2023 by the Winchester legion and the Winchester Downtown Committee.
Last year, residents were asked to crochet or sew 5-6” poppies which were then attached to camouflage netting that was attached to the Chesterville town clock and the Winchester Sweet Corner park fountain.
With so many poppies left over after both projects were completed, organizers reached out to various hamlets and communities within North Dundas asked if these areas would like to join in and expand on this project, with 650 poppies going to each additional group.
The poppies are now also displayed at North Dundas High School, the Morewood and Ormond cenotaphs, Hallville, South Mountain, Mountain /Hill 70 and Inkerman.
The second unique and interesting project is the “Field of crosses” display, where North Dundas High School students have retrieved the names of 122 fallen soldiers with a North Dundas connection.
The names of these service members of past conflicts (Boer War, WWI, WWII, Korean conflict) were retrieved from local cenotaphs and record books. Students have individually researched each service member with a basic history of their names, date of birth, date of service entry, which group they served with, where they served, as well as additional personal history with relations to North Dundas and finally their date of passing.
Meanwhile in the high school metal fabrication shop, students created metal crosses which were powder coated white with their names affixed to the crosses as well as which unit they served in, their age and their date of passing.
This Field of Crosses will be erected yearly on a rotating basis throughout North Dundas.
All the pertinent information will eventually be put on a website and a QR code will be affixed to the cross so that anyone with a smartphone can gain access to each individual service member who gave their life to defend our country.
After some research it was found that this is truly an original project as there has been nothing found that resembles the scope of this remembrance project.
Both the poppy project and the Field of crosses will be erected November 1 and an official ceremony will be held for the Field of Crosses at NDDHS November 8.
