for the Province’s contribution of 100,000 bushels of oats for the British army. About 400 bushels and $150. in cash were subscribed during the course of the, meeting. This was one of a great number of projects which elicited community-wide support throughout the war. Others in- cluded an undertaking of the Island’s newspapers to raise the funds to buy an army field kitchen and an ambulance, the P.E.I. Railway’s Machine Gun Fund, and, of course, Canada’s Victory Loan Campaign. It was, however, the Belgian Relief Fund which probably commanded the greatest effort. The problem of getting a few slices of bread and a bowl of soup into the hands of thousands of people each day to keep them from starving created a sense of urgency which few could ignore.

The reality of war struck Mount Stewart even more sharply when local names were entered on Prince Edward Island’s Roll of Honor, maintained by the Examiner. One of the first names entered was that of Cyrus B. Birt, the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Birt of Fanning Brook. A member of the Princess Patricia Regiment, he was reported killed in battle in May, 1915. He was only nineteen. Many more were wounded or killed before hostilities ceased. One such was Coffin Douglas, third son of Mrs. Emma and the late Elisha Douglas of Head of Hillsborough. He was reported to have been in a party doing work in “an advanced district” of the front in France when the Germans opened shell fire on them. The officer in charge ordered the men to take cover, but, on this being done, one man was missing. Two volunteers were asked to bring in the wounded man seen lying in the open, and Spr. Douglas was one of the volunteers. The men reached their comrade safely, but on the way back they were hit by shrapnel from a bursting shell. Spr. Douglas was killed instantly. This was on April 13, 1917.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

By 1918, the Kaiser, described in the Patriot as “a figure of horror, haunted by the memory of millions who died at his word, of countries which he deluged with blood and blackened with devastation,” had been reduced in status to plain William Hohenzollern. Their job done, the men headed for home, and great was the rejoicing upon their arrival. Typical of the welcoming receptions was the one held in Fann- ing Brook Hall on July 8, 1919. After some speeches, some instrumental music and the presentation of a purse of money to each returned man, allwere served with supper prepared in “elaborate style.” “We are proud of you,” said George W. Jay in the concluding address, “yes, We feel that we can proudly call you heroes, for in the hour of danger you pledged your life to your country.”

George N. Orr

On the evening of December 7, 1917, the freighter, “George N. Orr,” laden with a cargo of hay and fish and bound for New York City from Montreal, was caught in an early winter snow storm off the Is- land’s north coast. Within sight of the East Point light when its steer- lng gear was torn away, the 22 year old craft subsequently lost its course and, buffeted by the raging storm, finally came to rest in 6 feet of water at the foot of Wildcat Road in Savage Harbour.

The ship’s erratic progress had been noted by Joe and Jimmy MacKay on their way home from a card party in nearby Point de Roche. The men lit a fire in Fred Pigot’s cook house and watched for poss1ble survivors. Nor was their wait in vain, for, as dawn began to break, a sailor threw a line toward shore. Jimmy grabbed at the rope

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