Walter A[y]lward-Vimy Memorial Sculptor
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In reply to:
Re: AYLWARD-IRELAND TO FALL RIVER, MA
1/10/00
Hi folks:
Just spotted your postings after putting a message under ALWARD which is now on this forum. Is the person described in the following message your Wlater, by any chance?
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I am not sure of the spelling of the surname, but today I heard the wonderful story on CBC (Canadian public) radio of Walter Al[l]ward, who was the sculptor who created the moving sculpture now found at the Vimy (France) War Memorial site. Walter spent 13 years carving it, from 1923-1936, and it has inspired everyone who has visited this graveyard for 1000's of Canadians who gave their lives in World War I.
The Battle of Vimy was Canada's 'coming of age' as a nation. My uncle fought there and he could never bring himself to talk about it. So many young men never came home from Vimy ...
Walter Alward was pressured by the Canadian government to hurry up with his project, but he was a perfectionist and would not be rushed. He found the stone he wanted at Split on the Adriatic coast (then Yugoslavia, now part of Croatia ?), and spent 13 years getting it right. When it was unveiled in 1936, even his detractors had to admit that he had created a masterpiece.
Evidently Walter's father was a carpenter who instilled a love of craftsmanship in him from an early age. I believe it was the father (but may have been Walter himself) who designed terra cotta and bas relief figures for the 'rich and famous' of the Don Valley in Toronto [this was the suburbs in the early 20th century], as well as statues commemorating the Boer War of 1898-1900.
There was also a statue of Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone, whose parents had moved from Edinburgh, Scotland to Brantford, Ontario. Bell made the world's first long distance call in the late 1870s between Brantford and Paris, Ontario, a staggering distance of six miles !
Who can tell us more about this family and how they came to be in Toronto, Ontario, where Walter Alward was born (not sure when) ? Were there other gifted or talented members of the family who await someone to sing their praises ?
Does anyone posting here know more about the other pieces of sculpture created by Walter Alward and where they are ? I must confess I had never heard of him until I listened to the CBC broadcast today. When did he die and where is he buried ?
As usual, we Canadians know nothing about this very prominent citizen of our own country.
Sic transit gloria...so Gloria took the bus.
Thanks for everything, Walter.
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