1921 – Canadian Battlefields Memorials Competition

Designs submitted to competition that was held by the Canadian Battlefields Commission for a war memorial. Entrants were limited to residents of the British Empire who were British subjects, or who were citizens of allied nations. The competition received 160 entries, of which seventeen were asked to provide scale models for final judging. The entrants were invited to provide designs suitable for up to eight locations. These were: St. Julien, Passchendaele, Observatory Ridge, Vimy Ridge, Dury Crossroads, Bourlon Wood, Courcelette, and Hospital Wood. The assessors were Frank Darling, representing the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada; Paul P. Cret, representing the Society Centrale des Architectes (Paris); Professor C. H. Reilly, C.B.H, M.A., F.R.I.B.A., representing the Royal Institute of British Architects. The Canadian architect Percy E. Nobbs was the Architectural Adviser of the commission.

The images were published in the ‘Construction’ journal of June 1921 in what was probably the rough unofficial order in which they were placed. The Allward design, eventually selected for Vimy Ridge, was the only one published to receive a description. “At the base of the strong impregnable walls of defence are the Defenders, one group showing the Breaking of the Sword, the other the Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless. Above these are the mouths of guns covered with olive and laurels. On the wall stands an heroic figure of Canada brooding over the graves of her valiant dead; below is suggested a grave with a helmet, laurels, etc. Behind her stands two pylons symbolising the two forces — Canadian and French — while between, at the base of these is the Spirit of Sacrifice who, giving all. throws the torch to his Comrade. Looking up they see the figures of Peace. Justice, Truth and Knowledge, etc., for which they fought, chanting the hymn of Peace. Around these figures arc the shields of Britain, Canada and France. On the outside of the pylons is the Cross.” At this stage, competitors were to receive the sum of five hundred dollars towards the cost of the preparation of models for final judging.

“From the very inception of the project the intention has been the erection, on an adequate scale, of a series of landmarks on the battlefields of France and Belgium at eight spots where the Canadian Corps accomplished its most notable achievements. It is a corollary of this idea that these monuments must have some common characteristics as landmarks, while from the nature of the sites it follows that considerable variation in design will be both natural and necessary as regards the bases and precincts.

The conditions in the preliminary Competition left absolute freedom of design, with a view to encouraging originality of thought in the suggestions offered, and on the chance that competitors might show some general consensus of opinion as to what form would be most suitable.

In the preliminary Competition 160 designs were submitted, of which about 100 showed technical ability on the part of their authors a very gratifying response. Some very original solutions of the problem were offered but nothing that could be construed as a general consensus of opinion emerged from the competition.

In making their award, the assessors made it clear that they had found designers, but left the character of the design they would finally recommend dependent upon the results in the second stage of the Competition. Thus the designs by the successful competitors represent a variety of solutions from obelisks to sarcophagi and ranging in method between romantic mysticism and classic pellucidity.

From a perusal of the conditions for the final stage of the Competition, it will be noted that something more is required of the competitors than the mere development of the ideas submitted in the first stage, which served to gain for their authors admission to the final competition. The restrictions in design have, however, been drawn in as elastic a manner as possible.

It will be noted that while the commissioning of eight designers would be a result quite in accord with views of the Commission as expressed in the conditions, it is open to the assessors to make their award in favor of one designer for the eight monuments, or such other distribution as the results may warrant.”
Construction, June 1921

The rules and regulations of the competition contained some interesting clauses.

The aim of the Commission is the erection of a series of monuments having a cumulative effect due to repetition of general silhouette. Their value as landmarks is to be kept in view. The Canadian monuments should be readily recognizable as a widely distributed group among the many and varied monuments to be erected in France.

Competitors are reminded that the use of bronze in monuments of this nature, intended to last for centuries, is open to the objection that it is liable to pillage in case of war. Bronze sculpture and adornments, while not inadmissible, should be used with reserve.

The sum available for each monument exclusive of landscape work is one hundred and twenty thousand dollars ($120,000), and competitors may assume for the purpose of the competition that the cost of building will be half as much as in Canada at current rates.

In October 1921, the commission formally selected the submission of Toronto sculptor and designer Walter Seymour Allward as the winner of the competition; the design submitted by Frederick Chapman Clemesha was selected as runner-up.

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