The Royal Canadian Legion Saskatchewan Command LEST WE FORGET 133 Branch #99 is located on Osidge Street in the village of Lipton, SK; the community of Dysart is located approximately 10 miles west. The two farming communities were started in 1905 and 1908, respectively. A number of the residents were Veterans or relatives of Veterans who had served in the Boer War. The forerunner of Branch #99 was the Lipton Branch of the Great War Veteran's Association (G.W.V.A.), organized in 1920 with seventeen members from Lipton, and 13 members from Dysart. Some of the charter members, who were Veterans of the Boer War and/or WWI, were Bill Hulme, Cecil Lewis, Bill Peake, and Charles Fisher. In 1926, the Lipton Branch reorganized as Branch #99 of the Canadian Legion of the B.E.S.L. At that time, there were 21 members, all from Lipton. Membership had fallen to 12 by 1939. With the declaration of WWII, the Branch had an upsurge of support, new members, and projects supporting members, Veterans, soldiers and families, by the early 1950s the membership had grown to 40 from the Lipton/Dysart area. The Lipton Ladies’ Auxiliary to B.E.S.L. was organized in August 1944. Mrs. S.M. McKenzie was elected President, Mrs. R Brinkworth elected Vice-president, Mrs. N. Walton, Vice-president, and Mrs. A. Allen was elected Secretary. Membership in the first year was 37 active members. The Ladies’ Auxiliary met at the same time as the regular B.E.S.L. meetings, and supported the Branch in all its activities to this day. The Auxiliary members transferred their memberships over to Associate Legion memberships in 2001. Around this time, the Branch wishing to have its own meeting place rather than the community hall approached the Lipton Village Council. Council obliged by leasing to the Branch, Lot "B," Blk. 11, on Osidge Street for 99 years, at a rental of $1.00 per annum. A small wartime house was purchased and placed on the site, and a small addition was built on to make enough room for meetings. Subsequently, as the membership grew in the early 1970s, another addition was planned for the Legion hall, and in October 1976, the expanded hall was officially opened with a large meeting, including members of Saskatchewan Command, the Lipton village council, and additional family and guests. Reverend Comrade Jack Lambert conducted the dedication ceremony, and at this time, as consented to by Saskatchewan Command, Branch 99 was officially changed from the Lipton Branch to the Lipton/Dysart Branch. In 1987, the Branch members had a Cenotaph built in front of the Legion hall, dedicated to the memory of soldiers from the district. Shortly after, the members gathered to put a new tin roof on the Legion hall, which is rented out for small group functions and family gatherings. Presently, the membership of the Lipton/Dysart Branch #99 is holding at 40 members Branch activities have been focused in the past on gathering of the members for acts of remembrance, social gatherings, fundraising, and the yearly turkey bingo in the community hall on every November 11th evening. Recently, members have gathered to participate in the 2005 homecoming parades in Dysart and Lipton, and colour party during the dedication of a new memorial in front of the Dysart museum. The Lipton/Dysart Branch still receives a good deal of support for our efforts in the community. LIPTON/DYSART BRANCH 99 In 1919, Veterans returning from World War I banded together to form the Great War Veterans Association and a charter was formed in Wynyard in 1920 with Dr. W.A. S. McGrath as the first President. In 1926, The Royal Canadian Legion was formed and Wynyard received its charter in this new organization on April 6, 1927, with Jack Collins as president. The first hall was a building donated by the community. It was operated by the Legion as a community hall and rented out as a theatre with meetings held in a small annex attached to the building. Due to deterioration and costly upkeep of this hall, a fund was started for a new building, which was constructed in 1959/60 and officially opened on November 11, 1960, with the lounge area being built on in 1977. A Cenotaph was erected at the front of the building, honouring Veterans who gave their lives to the service of their country. Membership was small and times were hard during the depression years, however, with the return of Veterans in 1945, it grew rapidly. In the seventies, a number of Honorary and Associate members were accepted. Branch 101 benefited from the transfer of members from Dafoe in 1984, and Kandahar in WYNYARD BRANCH 101 (Cont’d...)
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