This Day in Norwood History-July 15, 1942-Cemetery Cannon To Be Removed For Salvage

Butters, Nelson Bicker Over Disposition Of Relics

The local salvage drive, chairmaned by selectman Charles Holman, got a boost from the American Legion, it was disclosed last night when the chairman informed the selectmen the Legion had donated the two trench mortars now placed in the Highland cemetery to the scrap heap.

The information was received with mixed feelings by Selectmen Sture Nelson and Harry Butters. Butters said if the Legion owned the cannons they had a perfect right to give them to the salvage drive and yet he thought it might not be the best thing to eliminate relics of the last war so soon. They are a part of America’s unfinished democratic history as it were, he said.

Selectman Nelson on the other hand, and himself a veteran of the last war, said in his opinion the cemetery perhaps wasn’t the proper place for guns. Cannons somehow seem out of place there, Nelson said. They perhaps add an additional tinge of sadness for those who lost sons or relatives in the war resting as they do in the cemetery. A more fitting place. Nelson thought. for war relics would be public parks and grounds other than cemeteries.

The donated guns will be removed from the cemetery by a junk dealer.

(All articles were originally published in the Norwood Messenger unless otherwise noted)