The Brooding Soldier Memorial

[ceebee]

Here is the first of two images showing some of the models for the 17 short listed entries that reached stage two of the competition. The St Julien model is third on the left - the dark model. Note what appears to be a small figure at the monument's base, suggesting a substantially larger structure than the one constructed.

Source: Veterans Affairs Canada

[ceebee]

A second image showing the St Julien Memorial, with the Vimy Ridge Memorial in the background.

Source: Veterans Affairs Canada

[J Banning]

Many thanks for your posts and the information contained.

I think it is safe to say that my source was wrong - a 110m high Brooding Soldier at Vimy was not planned.

Thanks again,

Jeremy

[equusv]

I've just taken a trip to the United Stated to interview the 94 year old daughter of Frederick Chapman Clemesha, the designer of the Brooding Soldier monument. Very interesting. I've been looking for information about him off and on for years, and especially photos. I could find nothing at all. Finally, in Ancestry I found a family photo from about 1900 with him in the middle of about fifteen people. That was IT. Now I have a portrait of him in his South Saskatchewan 46th Battalion uniform AKA the Suicide Battalion, original photos of the monument from the time of its unveiling and an original program from the day, July 8, 1923. Now I'm trying to figure out what to do with it. Any ideas out there? Also does anyone have any more information about the monument? I'm always looking for different perspectives. Oh, I forgot to add that I'm an author, now of six books. Most recently 2017 - Morrison: The Long-Lost Memoir of Canada's Artillery Commander in the Great War, and Hell Burned Through: Dave Mould, the Art and Story of a Lancaster Rear Gunner

Edited 21 January , 2018 by equusv
Forgot some details.

[Gareth Davies]

Are the hands the wrong way round? It's a very long time since I reversed arms but I seem to recall that ones left hand would be on top. 

[303man]

Bit late to discover a mistake now! 

Edited 21 January , 2018 by 303man

[Gareth Davies]

Thank you. 

[Aurel Sercu]

Susan,

 

Extremely low resolution, sorry.

I also have one WW 2, with German soldiers. Again very low resolution. If interested contact me (e-mail).

 

Aurel

[spof]

16 hours ago, equusv said:

Now I have a portrait of him in his South Saskatchewan 46th Battalion uniform AKA the Suicide Battalion, original photos of the monument from the time of its unveiling and an original program from the day, July 8, 1923. Now I'm trying to figure out what to do with it. Any ideas out there?

 

Try the relevant provincial library. Archives tend to concentrate on government records but these libraries often have a lot of "social history" items. If that fails and they can't help, look for a military museum but make sure it is a loan and they cannot dispose it the items without your approval.

Glen

[Borden Battery]

Here is an edited excerpt from a presentation I gave regarding the forgotten military history of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.  The presentation also includes Private Price - the last Commonwealth soldier to die in the Great War.

 

Frederick Chapman Clemesha - does anyone recall this name? 

 

"He was the Regina architect who finished second … to Walter Allward in a very important architectural competition involving some of the best and brightest architects in the British Empire. 

Frederick Clemesha emigrated from England and practised architecture in Regina before the Great War.  He was active in the young community - a "builder" in the true sense of the word.

Clemesha and his junior partner - Francis Henry (Frank) Portnall had a successful professional practice in Regina including a significant volume of private residential homes in The Crescents and Old Lakeview. The famous Kerr/Bronfman residence at 2326 College Avenue is an example of their work. 

The Knox-Metropolitan United Church off Victoria Park - which hosts the Rotary Christmas Carols - is another familiar example of Clemesha and Portnall's work - Portnall supervised the construction.

Collectively, Portnall and Clemesha - again came in second in another a major international competition - the Manitoba Legislative Building.

Nevertheless, in early September 1915 they closed their established architectural practice and left Regina for volunteer military service in the Great War.

Portnall, aged 29 years, enlisted with the 46th South Saskatchewan Battalion in Regina on 20 September 1915. 

His business partner, Clemesha, who was a Quaker, had already traveled to Camp Hughes east of Brandon, Manitoba.  He was inducted into the 46th Battalion a week earlier.

On his volunteer papers, he signed his name as "F Chapman Clemesha - so we may assume his went by the name Chapman.

Clemesha was 39 years old at the time - perhaps a little too old for the rigors open trench warfare and poison gas.  His records tell us he was 5 foot 5 inches, with a fair hair and fair complexion - and had blue-grey eyes - and was slightly near-sighted. War would have consequences for him.

Portnall, was very near-sighted and wore glasses.  Oversees he was promoted from private to corporal - and then - reverted back to the "Other Ranks" or a private again.

He later was transferred to 10th Brigade Machine Gun Company from 1915 to 1919.  The Company was part of the "Emma Gees" or "machine gunners" of the elite Canadian Machine Gun Corps.

How many of us here today in the prime of our careers - would answer the Call in this manner - and leave relative security and family for a very uncertain future in a War?

 

What became of Clemesha and Portnall in the Suicide Battalion?

 

Surprisingly, both Clemesha and Portnall survived the Great War and both returned to Regina to re-build their professional practise. The partnership was re-established for a time.

Clemesha, who had been severely wounded in the upper left cheek-bone on 12 August 1918 - two days before Captain Abbott was killed - returned to duty after 8 days in hospital. 

Portnall was unscathed - at least physically appears to have done some of his best architectural work after the Great War.

A small sample of Portnall's work in Regina included a number of residential, educational and ecclesiastical buildings.  He was also active elsewhere in Saskatchewan.

In Regina the Davin Elementary School was commissioned in 1929 to serve students in the Crescents area of Regina just north of Wascana Creek.

A year later Portnall was commissioned to design the now former Herchmer Public School at McTavish Street at 6th Avenue.

Portnall also was commissioned to design the City of Saskatoon War Memorial, City Hall Square in 1928 - whereas Clemesha had a role in a couple Great War cenotaphs after the war.

In later years, Portnall also completed a modernistic 1949 design for the former Synagogue for the Regina Hebrew Federated Community on Victoria Avenue and Osler Street – now a print shop.

The following year St. Andrews's United Church on Dewdney Avenue was a second modernistic church design - it has similar architectural lines as the Jewish synagogue.

Portnall was active in architecture until about 1960 and passed away in 1976.  While his name is recognized by some - most residents are unaware of this former Great War machine gunner who wore glasses and built a number of important buildings in Regina and Saskatchewan.

Upon discharge in 1919, Clemesha returned to Regina and re-established his partnership with Portnall. 

Perhaps a small footnote from a scrap of information on his personnel file available on the Internet - we know Clemesha had a 3-year-old son at the time of discharge in 1919 - we might infer that the boy may have been conceived on his last military Leave before leaving for England in late 1915.

Either by himself or in partnership with Portnall - Clemesha had about six commissions between his return in 1919 and 1923.

The former Central Fire Hall at 11th Avenue and Osler Street was completed in 1921 and is another example of their collaboration.

However, he later moved to California in 1922 - possibly to avoid the effects of cold weather on his facial wound. 

As we will learn, he did remain somewhat active in Canadian architecture until at least 1926. However, Portnall lived the remainder of his professional life in Regina.

At the end of the war, the Imperial War Graves Commission awarded the Canadian Government eight battle sites on which formal memorials could be erected."

Edited 19 January , 2019 by Borden Battery
Formatting.

[Arnold McBay]

I'm wondering if anyone knows where the architect Frederick Chapman Clemesha is buried?