Battalion to be known as Queens County Battalion with six Companies. (The nwmber 82nd was conferred in October 1878 and two Companies were added in 1884'.)

On 13th July, 1877, the two Artillery Batteries and No. 6 Company of the Queens County Battalion were under arms due to disturbances and opposition the previous night to a parade of the Orange Organization.

In 1882 a Provisional Brigade of Garrison Artillery was authorized, with Major James Douglas Irving, commanding.

On the outbreak of the North West Rebellion the personnel of the two Artillery Batteries and Engineers offered their services. Two service Companies from the 82nd Battalion, a total of 81 officers and men were equipped and made ready to leave on the 18th May, 1885, with a New Brunswick Battalion, but their services were not required as Riel had been captured. Captains D. Stewart and T. MacLeod were in command of

these Companies. In the autumn of 1892 when some 40 or 50 American fishing ships

were stormbound in Souris harbour considerable fighting took place, and

the Battery of Artillery stationed there was called out to restore order. In 1893 the Island was made a part of Military District No. 8, New

Brunswick, which brought about hot protests and threats of wholesale

resignations. A dispatch from Ottawa dated 1st December 1894 announced that

the Island had again been made a separate Military District No. 12 as from 17th October last. Lieut. Colonel F. S. Moore who had commanded

the Artillery Brigade was given command of the new District as Deputy Adjutant General, and changed to District Officer Commanding in Sep-

tember 1896. The Boers declared war against Britain on 13th October 1899, and

on the 18th of that month it was announced that lVIajor W. A. Weeks of the Charlottetown Engineer Company was to command “G” Company from New Brunswick and P. E. I. for active service with the Canadian Battalion in South Africa. About one hundred men at once offered their services. Thirty were accepted and left by train on the 25th October for Quebec. Others left later either as reinforcements or for service with other

units. Notwithstanding strong protests Military District No. 12 ceased to

exist in 1911. and the Island was made part of MD. No. 6, Nova Scotia,

both of which later became part of the Eastern Command. On the outbreak of the first Great War on 14th August, 1914, thou—

sands of Islanders enlisted for active service in the various Branches of the Forces. The greatest single effort was the raising of the 105th Overseas Battalion, which left the Island on the night of 12-13th June, 1916 over

eleven hundred strong. . ' ' _ After the war certain reorganizatlons took place and trammg was

carried on until the call came for the second World War. when thousands of Islanders again volunteered for active serv1ce. Later the call came for

service in Korea which was quickly responded to. _ Prior to Confederation the officers and men of the Volunteer Unlts,

were for the most part keen and anxious to perform a service to their country, but were awfully handicapped by shortage of arms, equipment

and trained instructors. . _ _ . AfterConfederation Island Units often led the whole Dominion in

efficiency competitions, and in war proved their readiness to serve their Country and Empire in the time of need.

75