The members of the Richmond Legion wanted to do something to mark the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 and to honour all the members of the Armed Forces - past, present and future.

In 2010 or so, we began to look around for some ideas on the best way to do this. At one time the Canadian Armed Forces were offering disarmed and disabled army vehicles and when we heard about this we immediately made up an application and lo and behold we were notified that we qualified.  We began to scout out the best place to put such an item at our legion and decided that the front lawn of the property would be perfect – visible from the hall itself as well as from the road.  Plans were made to put down a cement pad and measurements taken and finances planned. Unfortunately the first vehicle we asked for was no longer available and the one that was offered turned out to be much too large for the space available. The third alternative would require too much maintenance and upkeep.  So we shelved the idea of a military vehicle.

More suggestions and ideas were tossed around and it was decided that cairns are used throughout our neck of the woods to mark historic events so some of the members went to Connaught Range and saw some of their cairns and monuments.

The cairn was to be constructed and finished with stone and there were to be plaques on each side of the cairn commemorating historical and military events and personnel.  In the spring of 2012 plans were drawn, finances approved and that fall the base was poured and the materials were ordered and the cairn was begun. Unfortunately the stone required to finish the cairn was not received until the spring of 2013 and the plaques for each side of the cairn did not arrive until late May 2013!

Luckily for us the timing was perfect since the Richmond Legion celebrated their 40^th anniversary in June 2013 and at the dinner on June 1, 2013 the cairn was unveiled and dedicated.

It is a beautiful tribute to our history and military personnel and each of the four sides of the cairn have a plaque: one side marks the War of 1812 and the settling of Richmond in 1818; one side honours the Royal Canadian Legion, one side the United Nations and North American Treaty Organization and one side honours World War I & II.

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