Beechwood Cemetery, Ottawa

The National Military Cemetery
	;
Year established:	2007
Country:	Canada
Location:	Ottawa, Ontario
Coordinates:	45°26′48″N 75°39′27″W / 45.44667, -75.6575
Type:	Public
Size:	8.29 acres (33,500 m2)
Website:	The National Military Cemetery

Beechwood Cemetery
Year established:	1873
Country:	Canada
Location:	Ottawa, Ontario
Coordinates:	45°26′45″N 75°40′05″W / 45.44583, -75.66806
Type:	Public
Size:	160 acres (650,000 m2)
Number of gravesites:	+75,000
Website:	Beechwood Cemetery

Beechwood Cemetery, located in Ottawa, Ontario, is the National Cemetery of Canada. It is the final resting place for over 75,000 Canadians from all walks of life, such as important politicians like Governor General Ramon Hnatyshyn and Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden, Canadian Forces Veterans, War Dead, members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and men and women who have made a mark on Canadian history. In addition to being Canada's National Cemetery, it is also the National Military Cemetery of Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police National Memorial Cemetery.^[1]

A woodland cemetery founded in 1873, it is 160 acres (650,000 m²) and is the largest cemetery in the city of Ottawa.^[2]

History

Beechwood Funeral, Cemetery & Cremation Services was founded in 1873 just fourteen years after Queen Victoria selected Ottawa as the capital of the Dominion of Canada. At that time, city council had decreed burials were not permitted within the city limits, so Beechwood was located beyond what were then Ottawa’s boundaries, on a 160-acre tract of land on the outskirts of Ottawa, part of the original McPhail farm (100 acres) and the MacKay/Keefer estates. It became a prime example of the type of rural cemetery that emerged in the United States and Canada in the 19th century characterized by winding roads, picturesque vistas, wooded groves, unique landscaping, as well as monuments and markers of considerable architectural and historical interest.^[2]

Beechwood Cemetery became the home of Canada's National Military Cemetery in 2007. It brought together four sections of the cemetery where war dead, Veterans and those who died in service rest in peace, to create what is now known as Canada's National Military Cemetery.

National Military Cemetery

For more than 100 years, Canada's military community has been burying its members in one of the four military sections at Beechwood Cemetery. The first three sections created were sections 19, 21 (29) and 27 and contain graves of war dead and Veterans. There are no more interments spaces available in sections 19 and 21 (29). Section 27 is the largest of the three and a Cross of Sacrifice, erected by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in 1959 is located in the middle of the Field of Honour.

In 2001, the Department of the National Defence (Canadian Forces) opened section 103. This section is dedicated to the memory of Canadian service personnel who honourably served their country in war and peace, at home and abroad, and are now at rest.

In September 2007, a ceremony was held to declare all four military sections at Beechwood as Canada's National Military Cemetery. Paths connecting all the sections were created and plaques identifying each section were put in place. A large bronze plaque was unveiled at the ceremony with the following inscription:

"Canada's National Military Cemetery, dedicated on 13 September 2007, is a partnership amongst the beechwood cemetery foundation, the commonwealth war graves commission, the Department of National Defence and Veterans Affairs Canada. This cemetery brings together all those who rest here who died on active service, whose death was related to service, or who served honourably and chose to rest amongst their comrades in these sacred grounds."

Location

Take highway 417 and exit at St. Laurent Blvd north. Turn left onto Hemlock Road. The cemetery gates will be on the left hand side.

"We Rest Here"

The following Signals Honour Roll members are buried here.

Service Number	Rank and Name	Grave Location
2265682	Spr E.A. Scott	Sec 29. Grave 11.
2014172	Spr J. Wood	Sec 29. Lot G. Grave 36.
C96399	Cpl A.W. Craig	Sec 27. Lot G. Grave 18.
K67114	LCpl E. Pedersen	Sec 29. Lot 1. Grave 128.
M41855	Sgt H.F. Powers	Sec 29. Lot 4. Grave 167.
B27002620	Cpl K.C. O’Quinn	Sec 103. Block A
	Capt F.B. Summerville	Section 27, Range D, Grave 212