From “Lumberjack Larry”, the
memoirs of Larry Gladney of Clarenville
.
I received an invitation
from Tom Curran, the secretary treasurer of the Newfoundland Overseas Forestry
Association, asking if I could
come to Grand Falls and
lay a wreath at the unveiling of a memorial to the 34 unit members who
never returned to their native land or loved
ones, but died in the line
of duty from various causes, such as being sawed to death, falling off
a truck, poison, tuberculosis, meningitis,
hanging, killed by a train,
drowning, being shot, burned to death, tractor turning over (and) various
other ways.
The Memorial is a beautiful
block of black marble with the unit's badge, the caribou, at the front
above the 34 names in gold letters and
each side has a tree emblazoned
on it. The Memorial was placed there by the Newfoundland Forest Protection
Association, in conjunction
with the Town of Grand
Falls and was unveiled by Dr. Rex Gibbons, the Minister of Natural Resources,
who was assisted by Mr. Stu Weldon,
President of the Newfoundland
Forest Protection Association, Mayor Walwyn Blackmore of Grand Falls
and Tom Curran. It stands on a
small mound between a small
stream and Cormer Avenue and it is a place of sanctuary and peace.
Reverend William Rice read the dedication,
and Reverend Ray Cole read
the benediction. Frank Thompson, a member of the NOFUA, read the 34 names.
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