Veterans Cemetery in Esquimalt, known as God’s Acre, is an ongoing sign of Canadians’ respect and gratitude for people who have served their country, the minister of veterans affairs said Wednesday.
Lawrence MacAulay was in Esquimalt to mark the $4 million in improvements made to the cemetery at 1190 Colville Rd. over the past five years. As a result of the work, space for 1,400 more grave sites for veterans and their spouses is now available.
“At home and around the world, our veterans are recognized for their service and sacrifice,” MacAulay said in a small ceremony at the cemetery. “Here at God’s Acre, that legacy is carved in wood and stone.”
In 2016, the cemetery reached capacity with 2,500 burial plots. In response, Veterans Affairs Canada purchased land from the neighbouring Gorge Vale Golf Course and improved the access roads, parking and landscaping.
The cemetery has been operated by the federal Department of Veterans Affairs since 1947. But it dates to 1868, when the British Royal Navy purchased the land for $250 for sailors who were killed or died away from home. According to one account, the first person buried in graveyard was the wife of an army sergeant who got special permission for the burial.
The graveyard’s small chapel was constructed from wood collected from all over the British Empire. It had no religious markings, so as to be welcoming to anyone.
The cemetery is visited regularly by Japanese navy sailors who come to pay respects to a midshipman who was killed while on tour during the 1920s.
The headstones are a regular draw for local school children, youth and cadets who study, research, clean and commemorate them.
Every year in the lead-up to Remembrance Day, every grave marker is adorned with a poppy as part of an event called No Stone Left Alone.
“There is a lot of history buried here,” said MacAulay. “And we at Veterans Affairs are committed to maintaining these grave sites and encouraging remembrance.”
MacAulay told the Times Colonist the government is also committed to assisting living veterans with programs for post-traumatic stress disorder, physical injuries and transitioning into civilian life.
