Community 1 1 7 Military:

Eastern Kings can be truly proud of her wartime record. The history of the Militia dates back to the earliest British occupation of the Island. A letter addressed to Major Donald C. Leslie, dated January 2, 1902, from Colonel H.M. Davidson compliments No. 3 Company, 4th Regiment Canadian Artillery of Souris for placing first in general efficiency competition of the Garrison Artillery for the previous season. Officers in the unit at that time included Hal Sterns, J .F. Stems, William Leslie and Will Brennan.75

In 1899, a total of fourteen from Souris area answered the call for volun- teers to fight in the Boer War in South Africa. Of these, three were chosen: Lieut. J .B. Mellish, No. 1 Company, 82 Battery; Second Lieut. J .T. Leslie and Michael J. McCarthy, both of No. 4 Company, 4th Regiment. The two officers picked waived their commissions in the Canadian Militia to serve in the ranks. “All honour to them,” wrote the Guardian of October 26, 1899. The soldiers in this war were the first to wear the khaki uniforms which replaced the red.76 Militia General Order No. 79, dated September 1, 1893, directed that the uniform of the Field and Garrison Artillery was to include shoulder straps of scarlet cloth.77 No reason for the change was given.

Souris had two women serve as Nursing Sisters during World War 1. Katherine L. Beaton, born at East Point, trained at Boston City Hospital. She joined the American Medical Service in 1917. When the war was over, she remained to nurse in hospitals in France until 1919. She married Peter Holland, who was station master of the Canadian National Railway at Souris for many years prior to his retirement in 1934.

Courtesy Adele Townshend

Nursing Sister Rena McLean - 1879-1918