Bienfait Legion
B.E.S.L.
(British Empire Service League)
Branch 169

Legion Ad from a mid 1950 Cook Book

Drawings of the Legion Hall from the 1955 History book

The Bienfait Legion was formed in October 1931.
The President of the Estevan Legion encouraged
 the ex-servicemen to form this branch, after the riot in Sept 1939.

The first meetings were held twice monthly in the Ukrainian Library.
Ex-Servicemen met in the Hawkinson Hall, now the Legion Hall.
Meetings were also held in the Green Hall on Main st.
4th lot south of Souris Ave, or Highway 18, on the east side.
At the initial meeting Chas. Locke, then Principal of the school,
 was elected President.  A.H. Cuddinton, Treasurer, 
and Ken John Secretary with an Executive which included:
Prescott, Bembridge, Rawcliffe, Richardson, Philip,
Dee, Enmark, Moffat, and Worral.
A. Redford of Weyburn, then zone Representative,
along with Tommy Douglas, were in charge of the initiation and installation
ceremonies which admitted some forty veterans into the ranks of the Legion. 
 The Branch chose Art Graham as their honourary member.

I would think the Legion is on Lot 206 in this 1915 map
It is set back by one empty corner lot in front.
back in 1915 this was the location of a General Store
including hardware, with a flour warehouse behind it.

Veteran Cemetery
Early in its history, the Branch purchased a large plot of ground
 in the Bienfait Cemetery and Ernie Philip,
with the help of the members established the present Soldiers' Plot
at which annually the Decoration Day services have been held.
The Branch owns a cottage which was erected by volunteer help
from the members and other people
 of the community for the widow of Robert Ellis,
 who died suddenly at his work.
As money became available, improvements were made
 on the Legion Hall inside and out.
Since the start of the late war, the Flag has flown continually
 from the Legion Hall and an honour roll inscribed by Wing Wong Jr.
has been continually lit by neon lighting in the front window of the hall.
At all times, the services of the secretary has been available
 to ex-servicemen and their dependants, and during the war,
of course, to dependants of those serving.
The Branch had the honour of having among its members
 the oldest Legionnaire in the province in the person of Arthur Nelson,
a Riel rebellion veteran who was acclaimed as such
 at a provincial convention in Saskatoon prior to his death.
The Branch took active part in post-war rehabilitation.
 The Branch welcomes all veterans within its ranks
and prices itself upon conducting all its activities in a truly Democratic way.
 In addition to its social functions it is true the local ex-servicemen's parliament
 and lives up as closely as possible to those aims
 and objectives laid down in the Constitution, which in the main are service,
 not for self but for those less fortunate,
and fostering of loyalty to Queen and Country
and the kindly ties of comradeship among those
 who have given a common service.
The Auxiliary was formed in May 1932
The first Vimy night event was held in 1932.
The Cairn in the front lawn was made
 from rock from the Taylorton Store.
 

War Veteran Quilt, now in Bienfait Legion
L/R IRENE PASTACHUK, LORNE FRANK AND RON FRANK
THIS QUILT WAS PRESENTED TO THE BIENFAIT
LEGION AUXILLARY
IT WAS WON BY J. C. FRANK (LORNE AND RON'S FATHER)
IN 1968.  IT HAD BEEN IN THE FRANK FAMILY SINCE THEN.
THEY RETURNED IT TO BIENFAIT IN JULY 2000.
IT WILL BE ON DISPLAY AT THE MUSEUM FIRST, THEN THE LEGION
THE QUILT WAS DEDICATED TO WAR VETERANS IN THE BIENFAIT AREA
AND THEIR FAMILIES.

Air Cadets

Info from the 1955 History Book

The first officers of the local air cadets
were A. E. Gough and Mr. Percy Taylor.
The Air Cadets first began in the Bienfait Legion Hall.

Awards won by local cadets in the present or past year:
-Murray Weppler won the flying Scholarship
which enabled him to take a six-week course at the Estevan Airport
-Albin Kaminski had the honour of taking a
 six-week summer training course at the R.C.A.F. station
 at Camp Borden, Ontario.

Following are the present officers of the #30 Wylie-Mitchell Squadron:
-F/Lt. Taylor: Commanding Officer
-F/O. Walker: Assistant Commanding Officer and drill instructor.
-Prof. Knight: instructor in meteorology
-Ken Nicholson: navigation and flying scholarship instructor
-J. Appleby: firearms instructor

These local boys are now members of the Air Cadets; (in 1955)