The first steps toward re-erecting the headstones of 23 world war soldiers' graves at Bowen Road Cemetery are in the works, following advocacy from a Nanaimo resident.
Kevin Hills has been advocating to re-erect 23 markers for soldiers who died in the First World War and the Second World War, wishing to see the stones be positioned upright rather than laying flat.
"I began researching the Commonwealth War Graves Commission several years ago as part of a military history course..." Hills told council at a meeting Nov. 4. "On visiting the cemetery on Bowen Road, I was surprised to find all of their headstones were laying flat, flush with the ground."
It wasn't always that way, he explained. In the 1960s, the cemetery underwent a modernization project. All grave stones were made flat, with an exception if there was writing on both sides. As a result, for the last 60 years, flat gravestones were used to mark the 23 soldiers' memorials. Each of the soldiers died in service.
"I've visited the graves many times now and it can be seen how the markers are wearing and staining prematurely with water pooling in the engraved names, moss growing, littered with leaves and grass clippings," Hills said.
His presentation at the meeting accompanied a city staff proposal, which passed unanimously, to allow for the 23 Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials to be re-erected as standing markers.
Ahead of the vote, Mayor Leonard Krog thanked Hills for his presentation.
"I think most of us Canadians take great pride in the fact that this nation made a contribution far above [what] the population would warrant in the normal case and the corresponding sacrifice as well," the mayor said. "By bringing this to our attention, we recognize that sacrifice."
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission, an intergovernmental agency responsible for the memorial stones, would need to make new headstones if it decides on upright memorials. Catherine Paterson, CWGC regional manager, told the News Bulletin that the commission does consider flat markers to be an appropriate form of commemoration.
"CWGC headstones in Canada can be upright or flat," Paterson said in a statement. "In cases where local bylaws require markers to be set flat, we abide by the regulations as would a family with a loved one buried in the cemetery. This is common in park lawn style cemeteries, where all markers must be set flat, or all markers must be flat and bronze."
Paterson explained that there are cemeteries that established their own form of military commemoration, such as scroll markers in Vancouver Mountainview Cemetery and flat granite markers in Toronto Prospect Cemetery.
"In these cases, the cemetery had established a military plot and marker design prior to 1921, when the CWGC began operations in Canada, and we adopted the local marker design to ensure the equality and consistency of commemoration."
In Nanaimo's case, Paterson said the commission is still reviewing information and hasn't determined next steps.
