LangleyAdvance
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Tuesday, September 17, 2013 Vandalism
Thieves deface war memorial
Metal thieves have vandalized a cenotaph dedicated to Canada’s war dead in Langley. WE BUY YOUR GOLD!
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by Matthew Claxton
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An ornamental bronze plaque has been stolen off a Langley cenotaph honouring soldiers who died in the First and Second World Wars. The plaque, which shows crossed rifles and a First World War-style soldier’s helmet, was first reported missing on Sept. 4, by staff at Murrayville Cemetery. Township of Langley Cemetery Supervisor Kevin Bunnett said the family of a veteran was visiting the cemetery in preparation for a burial. He turned to show them the cenotaph, and noticed the decorative bronze was missing. “It is disrespectful, big time,” Bunnett said of the theft, adding that there have been very few problems with theft or vandalism at the Murrayville Cemetery. Located at 21405 44 Ave., the graveyard is surrounded by “good neighbours” who are conscientious about reporting problems to the Township or the Langley RCMP, “It is disrespectful, big he said. However, time.” the cemetery Kevin Bunnett is also largely surrounded by trees and is somewhat isolated from the view of most nearby homes. The cenotaph is located at the far southwestern end of the cemetery, which slopes gently down towards the lip of the escarpment above the Nicomekl flood plain. The sizeable stone cenotaph is one of two built in the years following the First World War. Veterans of that conflict returned to Langley, but left many of their friends and neighbours on battlefields in France and Belgium. The cenotaphs were built in Fort Langley, and in Murrayville, in what was then known as the Langley Prairie Cemetery. Another granite plinth was later added to the cenotaph naming local men who died in the Second World War. Over the years, Royal Canadian Legion branches in Langley City and Aldergrove also built their own cenotaphs. More names were added to the two original cenotaphs after the Second World War and Korean War. Every Remembrance Day, Nov. 11, major ceremonies are held in Langley City, Aldergrove, and at the Fort Langley Cemetery’s cenotaph. Murrayville’s is the only cenotaph in Langley without an official ceremony of remembrance, but on most years half a dozen to a dozen individuals will gather spontaneously, observe a moment of silence at 11 a.m., and place poppies on the marker. Bunnett said several wreaths are placed there each year. This is not the first time one of the memor-
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Kevin Bunnett, the Township’s cemetery supervisor, has already ordered a new bronze decoration for the cenotaph. The crossed rifles and soldier’s helmet was pried out sometime earlier this month.
Matthew Claxton Langley Advance
ials has been vandalized. The Fort’s cenotaph had its metal plaques stolen several years ago, and the Murrayville marker was used as a model to craft the replacements. Because the two cenotaphs were matched, the plaques are identical. Fort Langley’s Brenda Alberts was one of the co-founders of the Fort’s renewed Remembrance Day ceremonies. She was shocked to hear of the new thefts. “That is just disgusting,” she said. Alberts remembered when the Fort’s cenotaph was vandalized. It took about a year to get the replacement bronze. Bunnett has been in touch with Fred Pepin of the Langley Heritage Society, and they have the molds from the last time one of the decorations needed to be replaced.
“I’ve given them the go ahead to make a new one,” said Bunnett. There is no estimated cost yet for that process. The cemetery staff would still prefer to recover the plaque intact, if it hasn’t already been melted down for scrap. “We’d like to find it, and ask that anyone with information leading to it to call the Langley RCMP,” Bunnett said. A recent similar theft in Surrey took place at another cemetery, where bronze flower vases were stolen off a number of graves. Of those taken, about 28 were recovered from a metal dealer. Surrey RCMP said a Langley woman was a person of interest in that case. The RCMP can be contacted at 604-5323200, or to remain anonymous, people can call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
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