A ceremonial send-off was held today for a large, commemorative monument that will soon be shipped from Halifax to Belgium, where it will pay tribute to Canadian soldiers who fought in the Battle of Passchendaele a century ago.
The one-tonne monument, made from steel, is called Canada Gate.
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The twin arches, which stand about four metres high, will be installed near Passchendaele in the days leading up to centennial events next month marking the end of the 100-day battle – the bloodiest fight in Canadian military history.
More than 16,000 members of the Canadian Corps were wounded in the battle, and nearly 4,000 were killed.
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The Canada Gate is the second of two so-called “portals of remembrance.”
The first monument, installed last year on the Halifax waterfront, is “The Last Steps Memorial Arch,” which pays tribute to the departure from Pier 2 of 350,000 soldiers who boarded ships bound for the killing fields of Belgium and France.