World War I Cenotaph Project

FOR KING AND EMPIRE

When war was declared on Jul. 28, 1914, the Empire mobilized to help the mother country defend itself. The Kamloops area had 2 Militia units at the ready with the Rocky Mountain Rangers and the 31st British Columbia Horse; they both mobilized with recruiting and the expected overseas deployment. This process would take time to achieve, with some men making their way to Vancouver and other larger centers to enlist and get overseas before the war was over. In contrast, other men fresh from coming to Kamloops as immigrants would return to Britain to rejoin their old units.

The ethnic makeup at this time was predominantly British from immigration and parentage, with about 50% of the men listed on the memorial British by birth.

WWI was a war like no other, and it brought forward new horrors such as poison gas and flame throwers. Airplanes would make their introduction to war with six locals killed in combat and training accidents.

Most would serve in Canadian units and be killed in action. Some would die from the Spanish Flu and not even make it overseas. For one, suicide was the answer to a terrible situation. One man who was working in the US would join the American Army.

At the end of the First Great War, Canada lost 67,000 men and women, about 10% of all enlistments. The combined deaths of Britain and the Empire would be over one million.

Of this total, 189 men were killed and listed on the Kamloops War Memorial on Battle Street.

LEST WE FORGET

Veterans