IODE Cross of Sacrifice
The IODE Cross of Sacrifice is a memorial which was presented to the City of Guelph by the Victoria-Guelph Chapter of the Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire in June of 1925. It was erected to commemorate those who died while serving during World War I and was dedicated by the local Chapter of the I.O.D.E. on land originally owned by Canadian National Railways. The cross now honours victims of both wars, the Korean War and peacekeeping missions.
The tall granite cross which holds a bronze crusader’s sword stands west of Guelph Central Station at the southeast corner of Carden and Wyndham Streets, near the historic Guelph Armoury.
To this day, individuals gather at the cross every November 11 to lay wreaths in remembrance of those who have given their lives in military service to the country.
About the Cross of Sacrifice
The Cross of Sacrifice is a Commonwealth war memorial designed in 1918 by Sir Reginald Blomfield for the Imperial War Graves Commission (now the Commonwealth War Graves Commission). It is frequently found in Commonwealth war cemeteries containing 40 or more graves. Its shape is an elongated Latin cross with a bronze longsword, blade down, affixed to the front of the cross. It is mounted on an octagonal base.
About the IODE
IODE is a national women’s charitable organization that enhances the quality of life for individuals through education support, community service and citizenship programs. In Guelph, the IODE raises money for scholarships, women’s shelters, Remembrance Day celebrations, prizes for the Kiwanis Music Festival, and the purchase of major equipment for Guelph hospitals.
Location
Guelph Central Station, 79 Carden Street, Guelph, Ontario N1H 3A4