LCol John McCrae statue. Bronze. Renowned sculptor, Ruth Abernathy.
It’s been nearly 3 weeks since the new John McCrae statue has been revealed downtown. The lovely, commemorative piece of art was crafted by the ever-so popular Canadian sculptor, Ruth Abernathy. Remember Flanders marks the 100th anniversary of McCrae’s writing of the poem, In Flanders Fields, In France of 1915. The historical poem is of course as follows:
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die,
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Mayor Cam Guthrie has this to say about the new statue, “This beautiful piece of art reflects the pride that Guelph has always felt at being the birthplace of John McCrae—a pride that has deepened this year as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of In Flanders Fields.”
The statue represents just that – A strong sense of pride towards a very large part of Canadian history. In the past couple of weeks, some parents have spoke out on issues of small children climbing all over the statue and showing a lack of respect. While there are good points on both sides of the argument, it should be noted that the statue is not a begging bear or a University of Guelph Gryphon, the statue of John McCrae should be respected and not turned into a play structure.
It was very difficult for the city to make the statue a reality. Lets continue to honour John McCrae – A historically renowned Guelph-born, Canadian man whose famous poem inspires millions.
John McCrae in 1912. Guelph Museums, Reference No. M983.5.1
Dont Miss the Play!
A Night in Flanders. Wednesdays through Saturdays, 7pm. July 2nd to August 8th at the McCrae House. $20 plus tax gets you in! The original play by Don Macrae features a captivating performance set in the backyard of the McCrae House. Reflected upon the writing of In Flanders Fields, Paul Pengelly and Myra Carr Williams perform together brilliantly. Tickets at guelphmuseums.ca
Also in the News..
The federal cabinet has signed off on the approval new commemorative toonies and quarters specially designed to honour the centenary of the writing of In Flanders Fields. The Royal Canadian Mint notes, “It is one of the First World War’s most recognized poems and an integral part of Canadian culture.”
The Word Remember will be emblazoned along the outside edge of every coin. With public demand likely to be very high, the Royal Canadian Mint has stated that they won’t announce any more information until they are officially unveiled.
As seen below, the mint has already launched various limited edition silver coins that are sold on its website.
5 oz. Fine Silver Coloured Coin – 100th Anniversary of In Flanders Fields – Mintage: 1,500 (2015)
What are your thoughts?
Write down in the comments section how you feel about the new statue and the historical significance? Do you think you’ll end up trying to get your hands on one of the cool limited editions quarters?
Feel free to send us some photos or tweet at us! @Planet_Realty
Check out this absolutely beautiful picture taken by Guelph resident, Peter Kelly.