October 4: Port Arthur:
October 12: Port Arthur:
The letter sent by Fort William City Council endorsing sending the 52nd Battalion to the front of the war was also copied to Port Arthur Council, and held by that Council for discussion. It doesn’t appear that Port Arthur followed up on this declaration at any later time.
October 12: Port Arthur:
Port Arthur had agreed to provide services at Gresley Park when it was chosen as the site for the training camp in May 1915, and agreed to install and pay for lighting in August 1915. Here, the lighting has been installed and paid for.
October 12: Fort William:
Fort William City Council received and filed a letter from Major-General William Dillon Otter, the commander of internment operations in Canada. The letter states that Otter “regret[s] that the City did not find it advisable to assist the Government in distribution of aid to Aliens.”
The Federal government had stated in September 1915 that the municipality would be responsible for the “clerical work” related to distributing financial aid to those designated as Alien Enemies. The City saw this as a downloading of federal responsibilities, which would have been frustrating given the amount of other ways in which the City supported the war effort.
October 18: Port Arthur:
The Port Arthur Council referred a proposal for providing an allowance to the wives of enlisted soldiers who had been City employees. While issues related to pay for enlisted employees were discussed regularly, this proposal would not be addressed before the end of 1915.
October 18: Port Arthur:
This letter (also see Port Arthur News Chronicle, October 12, 1915) from Brigadier General L.J. Lipsett congratulates the people of the Lakehead on the conduct and bravery of the 8th Battalion, including a company from Port Arthur and a company from Fort William.
October 26: Fort William:
The British Red Cross contributed in many ways to the war effort, running hospitals, transporting the wounded, and providing supplies. Funds were raised for the Red Cross across Canada and other nations as well as in Britain. [For more information: http://www.redcross.org.uk/About-us/Who-we-are/History-and-origin/First-World-War]
Fort William Council here responds to a request for support from the British Red Cross, by calling upon various organizations in the city to form a fundraising committee. The work of this committee will be seen throughout the rest of the war years. Council also considered making a $2000 donation at this time, over $40,000 in today’s dollars, but held that decision for later discussion.
October 26: Fort William:
Two former Fort William employees request the military grant of $50 each upon enlisting for overseas service. Council approves the request.
October 26: Fort William:
“His Worship the Mayor read correspondence and telegrams passing between the city and the Militia Department at Ottawa regarding the raising of a new regiment in the city. He also reported that arrangements had been entered into with the Steel Company of Canada for the use of their buildings, free of charge, for Militia purposes, and pledged the City to give water, light and telephone free of charge to the Militia Department provided a battalion was quartered in the city.”
Quartering a battalion in Fort William (the buildings referred to were on Montreal Street) would have mirrored Port Arthur’s support of the encampment at Gresley Park.
World War One Thunder Bay Centennial Project 