June 17, 2025: Just as the people within the region did exactly 100 years ago June 17, hundreds lined Norfolk Street in Simcoe to celebrate the Carillon Tower War Memorial.
The large grey tower was erected to celebrate the end of The Great War and honour the local students who were killed in action.
The structure – which includes a clock and carillon of 23 bells – has been modified since then to include names of the brave local soldiers who have since died fighting for their country.
On Tuesday, Norfolk County Heritage and Culture and the Carillon 100 Committee held a downtown parade and ceremony to re-dedicate the tower in the name of local soldiers lost since. Kicking off the festivities was a flyover by a pair of Harvard aircrafts housed in Tillsonburg by the Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association.
“100 years ago today, over 500 Great War veterans, bands, dignitaries, and school children marched in the largest parade ever seen in our county,” said Reverend Bryan Robertson, padre for Royal Canadian Legion Branch 79.
“Today, we honour all those who have made the supreme sacrifice in defence of our freedom over the last hundred years … They gave up their tomorrow so that we might have our today.”
The east-facing portion of the tower includes a plaque memorializing Simcoe students killed in the First World War. In 1948, 147 names of those killed during the Second World War were added. The north side of the tower commemorates both the 133rd Norfolk’s Own Battalion CEF and Douglas Craig Blake, who was killed in Afghanistan in May of 2010.
Blake’s mother Judy Klages was on hand as one of four Norfolk County mothers who received the Silver Cross Award, presented to the immediate family members of Canadian Armed Forces members who died in service. Relatives of fellow Silver Cross Mothers Emeline West (who lost three sons), Lydia Quanbury (two sons) and Nora Wagner (three sons) also laid wreaths during a short ceremony.
“It’s an honour and a privilege,” Karges said of being in attendance. “It’s hard – it doesn’t get any easier, but I guess you learn how to cope. What a crowd here though – it’s amazing.”
Blake’s memory was front and centre as a group of 70 students from his alma mater, West Lynn Public School, performed O’ Canada, God Save the King, and Norfolk’s Carillon Hymn, the latter composed by teacher Catherine Wiebe and J.P. Antonacci. The hymn was adapted from the 1925 dedication speech. The young singers gave up their lunch hours and recesses since January to prepare for the moment.
“Craig is somebody that we talk about and honour at our school, and so it’s extra meaningful for us to be a part of this,” Wiebe said. “To show the kids this and that working for peace is not something that has been finished in the past, but is an ongoing work of today, and that we can do our part, however small, to do that, and for them to carry that with their hearts is what I hope they can get from today.”
The ceremony included students reciting the Remembrance Pledge (Oliver Tilson, Simcoe Composite), and the Act of Remembrance (Lucy Fox, West Lynn). A memorial wreath was placed at the foot of the tower by Aidan Atkinson (West Lynn), Olivia Carrier (St. Michael’s) and James McKnight (Lakewood).
“From the outset, one of the goals of this event was to ensure stewardship of the Carillon Tower when we’re no longer around to do so,” said Melissa Collver, director of Heritage and Culture with Norfolk County. “To see all these people, and to know that they know the symbolism of the tower is very heartwarming.”
“They’re the ones that’ll carry on for the rest of us.”
While addressing the crowd, Robertson noted that members of Simcoe 56th Field Artillery Regiment are currently being deployed to Latvia on the Russian border.
“We pray for God to protect them from all danger and let us pray as we re-dedicate the tower. As we re-dedicate this carillon tower we’ll be forever grateful for the freedom we enjoy as a result of the sacrifice of our fallen.”
Article by Jacob Robinson.
Article courtesy of the The Simcoe Reformer. To read the Original Article click here.