God’s Acre is a veteran’s cemetery that, unfortunately, is largely unknown to the people of Greater Victoria.
Established in 1868, the site is the final resting place of more than 2,500 military personnel and their family members and has been designated as a National Historic Site.
That designation is well deserved as anyone who takes a stroll through the shaded lawns and takes the time to inspect some of the well-worn grave markers will learn. That visit will give visitors the chance to gain a true perspective of Canada’s naval heritage and the importance of remembrance.
That enhanced perspective is particularly fitting as we approach Remembrance Day and there’s little doubt that visitors will come away with an appreciation of this country’s military history and the sacrifices that Canadians have made in the cause of peace and freedom.
Sadly, the truth is that, unless you happen to have a military member in your family, you may never have heard of this final resting place for military personnel. Part of that may well be because it lies on a golf course. It’s nestled between the 12th and 17th holes of the Gorge Vale Golf Club, and aside from the regular golfers on that course, there are very few Victorians who will ever have seen the site, even though it is open to the public.
Paul Thomas, the director general of commemorations for the Department of National Defence, acknowledged that the location is unique, but is at a loss to explain how it all happened.
"I’m not sure how the golf course grew around it, that all happened a long time ago.”
In fact, the first hints that this particular golf course was in the offing were recorded in 1924. But the rather detailed history of the machinations behind getting the course established (including some funding issues with the Hudson’s Bay Company) remains strangely silent on the fact that it was going to be built around the military cemetery.
“The golf course doesn’t really present us with many issues,” said Thomas, while acknowledging that it’s possible the odd errant golf ball may have landed on the cemetery property.
Still, if one moves beyond the odd location for a military cemetery, the site is truly remarkable in its own right.
“There are graves there that date back to the days of tall ships right through to more recent burials of veterans of the war in Afghanistan,” said Thomas.
Visitors to God’s Acre have a glimpse into the past.
Take, for example, the gravestone of Chief Engineer George Macaulay. He died at the Esquimalt Naval Base in 1860 after returning from Russia during the Crimean War. His headstone is actually made of cast iron as there were no stone masons available on Vancouver Island at the time.
Another marker is for a Japanese naval officer who died when his ship was visiting Vancouver Island. His grey granite ledger stone is decorated with a white chrysanthemum, and it’s said that Japanese military visiting Victoria will still make their way to the site to pay their respects.
Despite its unique location, God’s Acre continues to be an important place of remembrance for military personnel and their families. For those who wish to visit the site and show their respects, guided tours can be arranged through the Old Cemeteries Society of Victoria.
Alternatively, you may choose to visit the site on Remembrance Day to show your respects at a special ceremony that will be held there at noon on Nov. 11.
