PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND COMMAND Veterans’ Service Recognition Book ‐ Volume 16 Dedicated to all Prince Edward Islanders who served their country in times of war and peace. Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the PEI Legion ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION - MILITARY SERVICE RECOGNITION Islanders have a long and proud tradition of answering the call of duty in times of conflict and in times of peace – protecting and helping those in need here at home and around the world. We are privileged to live with the freedoms that we have been afforded. Freedoms that brave individuals have chosen to serve for and uphold … freedoms that we can innocently take for granted. It is important that we honour them and those who carry on their legacy. On behalf of the Government of Prince Edward Island, I offer warm wishes and congratulations to the Royal Canadian Legion on the annual publication of the Military Service Recognition booklet. Dennis King Premier of Prince Edward Island VETERANS’ SERVICE RECOGNITION BOOK – VOLUME 16 / 1 The Dentists of Prince Edward Island, Proudly Supporting our Veterans. Residential & Commercial Securing Islanders Since 1986 PO Box 235, Winsloe, PE [email protected] 902.368.3082 Charlottetown 902.888.9838 Summerside Proudly Supporting Our Veterans (902) 388-8840 1-A Browns Court • Charlottetown, PE • C1A 9M8 2 / WWW.PEILEGION.COM THE ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND COMMAND Message from the President June 6th, 2019 marks the 75th anniversary of the D-Day battles which freed Europe from the Nazi tyranny. A tour of the many European Commonwealth war cemeteries will show you that this was at a tremendous cost to our nation and to our precious Island homes. Some of the epitaphs written on the tombstones of fallen PEI comrades tell the sad story: “Lonely, dreary are the days since one we love went away. Lovingly remembered by his grandmother.” “The blow was hard, the shock severe to part with one I loved so dear. Mother” “We think of him in silence his name we oft recall, all that’s left to answer is his picture on the wall.” “Free men everywhere should remember them on your name.” We can be very proud of the role our Canadian soldiers played in both world wars and subsequent peacekeeping and military actions that have taken place around our world. These epitaphs ring true even today for loved ones whose sons or daughters have suffered or died for our country. This is why the Legion exists, so that Canada will never forget and why we advocate for the care and benefits for all who served Canada, regardless of when or where they served. This booklet provides another vital way to remember those who have served. On behalf of the Prince Edward Island Command executive council of The Royal Canadian Legion, I wish to express our gratitude and appreciation for the countless volunteer hours logged by our members, staff and the Ladies Auxiliary of The Legion. It is through the strong effort of this booklet and our organization that we will continue our strong community support to develop and fund programs for our Veterans, seniors and youth. “We will remember them.” - « Nous nous souviendrons d’eux. » Duane MacEwen Provincial President Prince Edward Island Command The Royal Canadian Legion VETERANS’ SERVICE RECOGNITION BOOK – VOLUME 16 / 3 Military Service Recognition Book - Volume 16 Table of Contents MESSAGES GALLANT, Joseph Alfred . .35 ROGERS, W. Wendell . .69 Message from the Premier . .1 GALLANT, Joseph Stanislaus . .37 SAUNDERS, John James . .71 Message from Command President . .3 GALLANT, Leo Alfred . .37 SHAW, Ernest . .71 Message from Lieutenant Governor . .5 GALLANT, Theodore Joseph . .37 STEVENSON, Barry Miller . .71 100th Anniversary of The Legion . .7 GAVIN, Claude Joseph . .39 TRAINOR, Willard Stephen . .73 GAVIN, Daniel Patrick . .39 WALLACE, Cecil Joseph . .73 EARLIEST PROVINCIAL PRESIDENTS GILLIS, Clifford John . .39 WALLACE, Frederick William . .73 OF PEI COMMAND GILLIS, James Elmer . .41 WALLACE, William Donald . .75 CHANDLER, Russel Clayton . .15 GRAHAM, James Hector . .41 WEDGE, Joseph Alyre . .75 CLARK, Baker . .17 HODGIN, Harold Edward Nelson Jr. 41 WHITE, Ethan Claude . .75 HUGHES, William Sylvester . .13 HOWARTH, Kerry . .43 WHITE, Robert Edgar . .77 LEITHIZER, James Joseph . .11 HOWATT, William David . .43 YEO, Daniel . .77 LOWTHER, Norman Wright . .15 JEWELL, Roland Herbert . .43 YOUNKER, Robert E. .77 MARTIN, Adolph Beaufort . .11 JONES, Everett James . .45 Advertisers’ Index . .79 MAY, Frederick Farrer . .11 KNOX, Melvin John . .45 McLAGGAN, William Arnold . .13 Veteran Information Submission Form ...80 LARKIN, Herbert Hodgson . .45 McNUT (MacNUTT), Thomas Edgar . .9 LAWSON, Norma Elaine . .47 MOLLISON, Robert Lowell . .15 LEARD, Arthur Johnson . .47 NICHOLSON, George Patrick . .9 Denotes deceased LECLAIR, Lawrence . .47 All information believed to be ROBINSON, Brewer Waugh . .13 MacAUSLAND, Vernon Wilber . .49 accurate at time of submission, ROGERS, J.B. .17 MacEWEN, John Charles . .49 October 2019. WALKER, James Sidney . .17 MacINTYRE, Elmer J. .49 VETERANS MacISAAC, John L. .51 Can you identify this Unknown Soldier MacISAAC, Patricia . .51 of The Great War? . .19 MacKAY, George Leigh . .51 About the front cover: BARTLETT, George Ashley . .19 MacPHAIL, John Angus . .53 BEAIRSTO, Samuel . .19 MacPHEE, Arnold . .53 BERRIGAN, Leonard Thomas . .21 MacPHEE, Daniel . .53 BETTS, Charles Robert . .21 MAILLETTE, Leslie . .55 BULGER, Wilfred . .21 MATTHEWS, Alvin George . .55 CAIRNS, James Ambrose . .23 McISAAC, Neil Joseph . .55 CARMODY, Karen Jean . .23 McKENNA, Alfred . .57 CARMODY, Ralph Clifford . .23 MILLAR, Terris . .57 CHAISSON, Joseph Medric . .25 NICHOLSON, John Ivan . .57 CLOW, Eugene Austin . .25 NORTON, Ernest Murray . .59 The Cornwall Cenotaph was formed by a committee in late 1918. It was a civilian CORCORAN, Tim Jordan . .25 O'BRIEN, Claude Ethelbert . .59 volunteer group from the local surrounding CURRIE, George Douglas . .27 ORFORD, Clifford . .59 communities of Cornwall area who organized ELLSWORTH, Thomas George . .27 PERRY, Charles . .61 to raise funds, secure land and develop the Cenotaph site, including the monuments FARQUHARSON, James Russell . .27 PERRY, Earl Joseph . .61 located there today. Since its inception, the FARQUHARSON, John James . .29 PERRY, Joey J. .61 Cenotaph Committee has organized and held FINNAN, Gabriel Emanuel . .29 PERRY, Mackenzie . .65 its annual Remembrance Services on the 3rd or 4th Sunday in September each year. Today FINNAN, James . .29 PERRY, Trevor . .65 most Remembrance Services are held on FINNAN, Lawrence . .31 PETERS, Joseph . .65 Armistice Day, November 11th. The tradition FITZSIMMONS, Bernard T. .31 PINEAU, Donald Blair . .66 of holding Remembrance Day Services on November 11th had not yet begun when the FLOOD, Kevin . .31 PRIDHAM, LeBert Alden . .66 original committee chose its September date GALLANT, Arthur Simon . .33 RAMSAY, James Leroy . .66 when traveling to the Service would be easier GALLANT, Edgar Joseph . .33 RAMSAY, Melvin Charles . .67 than later in the Fall. The Committee has continued this tradition of holding the service GALLANT, Edward . .33 RECTOR, Brian . .67 at the same time and place each September GALLANT, George Edward . .35 RIX, Gordon Freeman . .69 since its inception in 1919. September 15th, GALLANT, James Lawrence . .35 RIX, Waldron McQuarrie . .69 2019 marks its 100th service. 4 / WWW.PEILEGION.COM VETERANS’ SERVICE RECOGNITION BOOK – VOLUME 16 / 5 The Mayor and Council of the Town of East Prince Stratford are pleased to support The Royal Canadian Legion and Funeral Home the “Military Service Recognition Book” 245 Pope Road Summerside, PE C1N 5T4 Phone: (902) 436-0915 Fax: (902) 888-3112 Email: [email protected] 419 Main Street Alberton, PE C0B 1B0 902.853.2811 fax. 902.853.3444 [email protected] www.rooneyfh.ca 6 / WWW.PEILEGION.COM 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE The year 2019 marks the 100th Anniversary of the President - J. F. Sterns, Souris; Second Vice- Provincial Command of what is now The Royal President - J. W. Whitney, Summerside; and Canadian Legion. Executive Members - A. E. B. Murphy, Tignish; W. W. Rogers, Alberton; Robert Horne, O’Leary; R. On the 24th of September 1919, Veterans from R. McLean, Georgetown; and Reg Doiron, seven branches of the Great War Veterans’ Montague. Association met in Charlottetown and formed a Provincial Command of the association. At that In 1925 the G.W.V.A. joined with other Canadian time there were eight branches of the G.W.V.A. on Veteran groups and formed the Canadian Legion Prince Edward Island: Charlottetown, of the British Empire Service League, and in Summerside, Tignish, Alberton, O’Leary, Souris, 1958 the name was shortened to just the Canadian Georgetown, and Montague. All the branches Legion. Finally, in 1960, by Royal Assent, the except Montague were represented at the Legion became The Royal Canadian Legion. meeting. Note: Information in this article accredited to “The Island Farmer”, st The meeting elected the following members: 1 Oct. 1919 and the Legion archives. President - D. A. McKinnon, Charlottetown; Vice- This is a list of the original Provincial Command members elected at that first meeting: Daniel Albert MacKinnon D.S.O. Rank: Major Served from January 17, 1916 until January 31, 1919 in the Army with the 11th Brigade Howitzer Ammunition Column CFA in Canada, England, and France. John Franklin Sterns M.C. Service Number: 30716 Rank: Captain Served from August 3, 1915 until January 1, 1919 in the Army with the second 98th Canadian Siege Battery and 1st Canadian Heavy Artillery in Canada, England, and France. William Joseph Whitney Service Number: 165 Rank: Corporal Served from December 7, 1914 until May 14, 1919 in the Army with the 2nd Heavy Artillery in France. Alfred Edgar Burke Murphy M.C. Service Number: 15379 Rank: Lieutenant Served from January 13, 1915 until December 6, 1918 in the Army with the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 8th, Heavy Balty., 3rd Brigade, and the Canadian Artillery Regimental Depot in Canada, England, and France. W. Wendell Rogers M.C.