Fredericton Legion outraged after 3 cenotaph plaques stolen

Three large commemorative plaques have been stolen from the New Brunswick Provincial Cenotaph in Fredericton, an act that is leaving the provincial landmark vandalized with roughly two weeks left until Remembrance Day.

Don Swain, the branch president of the Fredericton Legion,examined the damage on Tuesday andfound just a single poppy from the missing plaques.

"Terrible thing to happen. No respect," Swain said.

"The veterans'names were on here from the Second World War and First World War and this monument was dedicated in 1923 right after the First World War."

Swain said he doesn't believe the landmark was simply a target of vandalism. Instead, the legion branch presidentsaid he thinks it's theft.

Terrible thing to happen. No respect.- Don Swain, Fredericton Legion Branch president

"They look like brass and if they are brass, they were taken for the dollar value," he said.

This is the second time a cenotaph has been a target of theft in the city this month.

Aweek ago police asked for help in finding out who took a plaque from the smaller cenotaph on the city's north side.

In 2007, the downtown landmark became Canada's first provincially designated cenotaph.

Veteran's charity helping to raise funds

Hearing the news about latesttheft prompted Atlantic Maple Leaf, a local veteran's charity,to move quickly.

It's launched a text campaign to help raise money for the repairs.

Fredericton West-Hanwell MLA Brian Macdonald, a spokesperson for the group, said people can text the word "respect" to45678.

"When they text respect to that number it will be a $20 donation that comes right off their cell bill," he said.

It's a much-appreciated move for the legion, but one that only partially softens the blow.

"I don't know how much its going to cost to replace them, but basically they cannot be replaced," said Swain.

"They're originals. They can't be replaced."

This is not the first time that the community has rallied around the downtown cenotaph so close to Remembrance Day.

In 2009, athree-metre-high granite cross that was ontop ofthe monument was toppled and smashed.

Two days after the cenotaph was found damaged, Fredericton saw an overflowing crowd turn out to its annual Remembrance Day ceremony.

The Fredericton Legion raised $80,000 at the time to fix the cenotaph.

At first, it was assumed that vandals had damaged the cenotaph, but the Fredericton police never concluded how the cross was knocked over.