cal LEGION HISTORY On Dec. 9, Branch 112 of the Royal Canadian Legion in Whitby marks the 50th anniversary of the granting of its charter. This week, we expand this column to give a history of the Legion branch and its work in Whitby over the past 50 years. We wish to thank Frank Steffler, a long-time member of the Legion, for supplying the historical material on which this article is based. The Legion in Whitby originated with the Great War Veterans Association which formed a branch in this town in November 1920. In November 1922 the organization was reorganized as the Whitby War Veterans Club. The major project of the Whitby War Veterans Club was a canvas to raise funds for a war memorial for the town. Ontario County Judge Theodore McGillivray presented a site for the memorial and it was officially unvielled by Ontario's Lieutenant-Governor Harry Cockshutt, on June 3, 1924. The cenotaph has remained the scene of remem- brance Day services ever since. In 1947 the bronze plaque was changed to include the names of Whitby men who were killed in the Second World War. In 1926, efforts were made to form a branch of the newly organized Royal Canadian Legion in Whitby. A local merchant, John McClelland was elected as the first presi- dent, and the charter was granted in 1927. Another local merchant, Arthur Allin, provided the Legion with meeting rooms on the third floor over his drug store, and here the annual Armistice Day banquets were held. A plaque honoring Mr. Allin for his service to the Legion may be seen in the Hall on Byron Street. In the late 1920s the Legion and the Whitby Citizens Band joined together to provide Whitby with ar annual street fair. This continued into the Depression years of the 1930s, with the Legion and the Band, (Later the Rotary Club) sharing the proceeds. The Legion used its share of the street fair profits to assist Whitby veterans and their families. At Crhistmas 1930, 27 veterans and their fanilies were visited and re- membered. In the summer of 1930 Branch i112 purchased a section of Groveside Cemetery near Brooklin with space for about 75 graves for the use of Whitby district veterans. Space of 50 additional graves was added in 1953. In 1933 the Anglican Bishop of Toronto dedicated the "soldiers plot" and a wooden cross was erected. In 1960 this was replaced by a stone ruemorial dedicated by Chaplain Rev. David Marshall. The original branch colors were received from Doctor Wilson of Uxbridge and dedicated in 1931. During the 1930s, regular meetings were held, with Social and,Ladies' nights as funds permitted. Chaplain Ralph Adye of the Whitby Legion was head of the provin- cial Poppy Committee, and various projects were under- taken to raise money. The paid-up membership of the Legion in the early 1 930s was 60, with dues being $3 a year. Grants were repeatedly made to the Citizens Band, Children's Milk Fund, Victorian Order of Nurses, Christmas Cheer Fund, various disaster funds and the Salvation Army. Special events in the 1I930s included a drum head service in the town park in 1937, attended by the Lieutenant- Governor, Dr. Herbert A. Bruce: and members carried the branch colors to Toronto in 1939 to join a massed color party for the visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. WHITBY FREE PRESS' WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7,1977, PAGE 7 &ian.Wi~ter's H istorig Whitby Omo During the Second World War, the Legion assisted various Whitby War Effort charities and held Poppy Campaigns to send parcels to soldiers serving overseas. As early as 1935 the Legion had been seeking a perman- ent home, and in 1943, land on Byron Street South was purchased for the construction of a Memorial Hall. Clean- up parties prepared the site and a building committee was formed under Frank Threadgold, was had been elected Zone Commander. Membership had reached 68, with one honorary member Arthur Allin, and one life member. With the help of money from the street fairs, the Legion was able to construct the hall in 1944 and officially opened it in 1945. By VE Day, membership had reached 100, and a Ladies' Auxiliary had been formed. Associate members (now social members) were accepted into the Legion based on service rendered to the branch, following the war. Dances raised $3.,000 in a few years and the new hall became a hive of activity. In 1945 Mr. Allin died and willed $5,000 to the Legion, a portion of which was used to enlarge the hall. Menbership reached an all-time high of 400 in 1947. A year later a memorial plaque to those Whitby residents who died in both wars was unvieled in the new hall. In June 1947 , Past President Frank Threadgold was elected District Commander and was awarded a life membership in 1954, the year before he died. A building committee was set up again in 1948 to ex- pand the hall because of the need for more kitchen facilities. A "Buy a Block" campaign was organized among the members, and several other fund-raising projects were undertaken. The corner stone for the addition was laid in 1949, and dedicated by Rev. David Marshall. Early in 1950, Ontario Premier Leslie Frost and former MP. W.H. Moore officially dedicated the addition. Mr. Moore provided the Legion with its fine library, in memory of his wife. The library is located in the addition, downstairs. In 1951, the Silver Jubilee of the branch was observed, and the Legion resumed its program of presenting cigarettes and candy to veterans' who were patients in the Whitby Psychiatric Hospital. A Vimy Day church paraded was organized to St. Andrew's Presbyterian church in 1952, and a painting ofthe Vimy memorial presented to the Legion. The branch colors were retired that year and replaced with a new set. donated bv Mrs. E. Stacev. The year 1955 was an important one for the Legion, for the branch organized a drumi head service in the town Park Best wishes Branch 112 on 50 years of community service BELL BLU LTD. Champlain Ave. Whiltby 723m4661 W. Rechatge Automobile Air Conditioning 20 QUEEN STREET BROOK!.IN, ONTARIO 85 5-3233 I TUE 1 2BokS t. ., Wit Mon- F i- 0 q a. 1 -b e~BROOKLIN HOME BAKERY' u nd DELICA TESSEN 6-4951 Tues. - Fr. 10:30 - 6:00 Sut. 9:00 - 5:00 NOW HOT FOODS FOR TAKE OUT FEATURING DELICIOUS TAKE OUT BAR- B - Q CHICKEN DONE IN OUR SPECIAL SAUCE Home Style Cabbage Rolls Meat Pies & Sausage Rolls - Hot or Cold Everything is Fresh Baked Daily on our Premises We use absolutly n No Additives snecial Rates on Large Group Orders to kick off the celebration of the centennikl of the Town of Whitby. Air Marshall W. A. Cutis took the salute. In 1956, the Legion began its long association with minor baseball and hockey by sponsoring local teams. In 1957, John C. M. Kirk presented an extensive collec- tion of Fist and Second World War badges to the Legion. These badges are exhibited in the downstairs part of thehall -The same year the Legion hosted a banquet for the Whitby Dunlops hockey team when they won the Allan Cup. The Legion also raised $1,000 to help send the Dunnies to Oslo where they won the 1958 worldchampiof ship and a banquet was provided for the players when they returned from this triumphant event. About the same time the bell from the Canadian warship HMCS Whitby was presentedto the Legion and incorporated into a podium which is still used today. In 1960, when the new town hall was opened, the Legion provided Mayor Stan Martin with the first chain of office ever worn by a Whitby mayor. It is still in use t6- day. In 1961 the Legion celebrated its 35th anniversary with a banquet and Mr. Steffler wrote a history of the branch, which he has updated this year to 1977. New colors were dedicated in 1962, and the shuffleboard courts were replaced. The old shuffleboard equipment was presented to Fairview Lodge. Legion family picnics had become popular events in the early 1960's, and in 1963, the remaining charter members were granted life memberships. Draws became a popular means of raising funds, with a car draw in 1976 for the County Town Carnival providing $500 for minor hockey and $500 for the Dr. J. O. Ruddy Ilospital. In 1965 the Legion donated $500 to the Kinsmen Club to equip the Kinsmen Park and swimming pool, and the Legion pledged $500 to the Whitby General Hospital Build- ing Fund Campaign. In 1966-the Whitby County Town Carnival originated, and the Legion has taken an active part in it ever since, providing the Carnival Queen Contest, open house and a number of dances and other projects. The same year also saw the beginning of extensive renovations of the Legion Hall which have taken place over Cont'd on P. 8 FiSHER RIFRIGIATION SERVICE Authorized AMANA dealer Suve energ whhlgh efficency central air condtioning sales ond instalstles Repairs to i m ks of frezrs, refrigerutors, air condtioners, del uôiskfim. We d-m-&-e -e -re --- md commercila air coumdieners Repaire to Ail Makes. Freezerm - Refrigerators - Air Conditioners «