1892–1917
Mount Pleasant Cemetery
Plot 20 Section 27 Lot 15
Among the quiet paths of Mount Pleasant Cemetery stands one of its most poignant memorials: a tribute to Captain Stewart Boulter, a young officer of the 20th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, who fell during the historic Battle of Vimy Ridge on April 9, 1917. Though his actual grave lies in Villers, France, this Toronto monument serves as a family memorial and a rare link to the Western Front.
The inscription tells a moving story: “This cross, made by one of his men, originally marked his grave.” That stone battlefield cross was brought home from the war and affixed to the granite monument here, a relic of sacrifice and camaraderie. Few memorials in Canada hold such direct artifacts from the front lines, making this site a powerful reminder of the human cost of victory.
Boulter’s death came during Canada’s defining moment at Vimy Ridge, where thousands of soldiers fought and fell in a battle that shaped our national identity. Today, his memorial stands not only as a memorial to one brave officer but for all who gave their lives in the First World War. It invites visitors to pause, reflect and remember the bond between Toronto families and the sacrifices made overseas during the Great War.
Sources:
• The Canadian Encyclopedia – “Battle of Vimy Ridge”
• Veterans Affairs Canada – Canadian Virtual War Memorial: Captain Stewart Boulter
Photo courtesy of Mount Pleasant Group
