The Unknown Soldier is home.

The soldier’s remains has been placed in a specially constructed Tomb of the Unknown Soldier as part of Newfoundland’s National War Memorial’s 100th anniversary in St. John’s. A sarcophagus was installed at the base of the war memorial just a few months ago. Etched on the vault, which is carved from black granite, are the words “Known Unto God” – together with a forget-me-not flower, a symbol of remembrance for the Newfoundland Regiment. The cover is made from Labrador granite called “Blue Eyes,” and weighs about 1,100 kilograms.

Outside Ottawa, ours is the only province to have a National War Memorial and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Over a century ago, a Newfoundlander left home and died on a battlefield in Northern France. He was one of many who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the First World War. This morning, to mark the 100th anniversary of our National War Memorial, The Unknown Soldier will be laid to rest, forever, at home.

Thousands lined the streets of downtown St. John’s this morning. Historic monuments adorning the National War Memorial in downtown St. John’s have been restored to their full glory this week ahead of today’s ceremonies.

An official handover ceremony was held in in Beaumont-Hamel, the site of a devastating chapter of Newfoundland history, when hundreds of young men were killed and injured in mere minutes. On May 25, reservists with the Royal Newfoundland Regiment took the unknown soldier into their care at Beaumont-Hamel, and transported him from France back to St. John’s.

The repatriation of the unknown soldier’s remains is a historical day for this province as it recognizes the collective contribution and sacrifice of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who served, fought, and died in all branches of the military and respective support services. The unknown soldier may have hailed from any of the many communities whose residents fought bravely and lost their lives in conflict.  

Today also marks the 100th anniversary of the unveiling and dedication of the National War Memorial. At this morning’s ceremony, the remains of our unknown First World War soldier, which was repatriated from Northern France, was entombed on the plateau of the National War Memorial in St. John’s, to represent all those Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who lost their lives in conflict, especially those with no known graves.