WWI Veterans' Associations

WWI Veterans' Associations

With Archives staff working from home, it seems like an opportune time to tackle some of the backlog of unprocessed records we have in the vault. One such fonds, relates to World War One veterans and includes records of the Oxford Patriotic Association, Soldiers’ Aid Commission, Great War Veterans Association (GWVA) and the Oxford Returned Soldiers’ Association.

The Oxford Patriotic Association (OPA) was founded in 1914 to provide assistance to veterans and the families of men killed overseas. The OPA was originally called the 500 Club formed by a group of patriotic Woodstock citizens who levied upon themselves regular contributions in order to relieve hardship among the families of Woodstock men who had entered the armed services. The need for assistance became so great that the 500 Club members felt that they were no longer able to assume full financial responsibility and the Oxford County Council was approached. This resulted in the formation of the OPA, with the County, and the urban municipalities of Woodstock, Ingersoll and Tillsonburg lending their financial assistance through taxation. Its main goal was to help returned soldiers adjust to civilian life. OPA provided re-training programs for disabled soldiers, helped its members in obtaining jobs and gave financial help to men whose pensions were either overlooked by the Federal Government or were not adequate. OPA also provided moral support to many veterans who felt alienated from the rest of society.

Other organizations such as the Oxford Returned Soldiers’ Association (ORSA), Soldiers’ Aid Commission and the Great War Veterans Association (GWVA) were also established. The ORSA (established August 1916) functioned to raise funds to assist returned soldiers of Oxford County. The Soldiers Aid Commission (established 1916) was a Provincial organization that ensured employment for all veterans and assisted the dependents. The GWVA (established April 1917) was created in response to the demands of many soldiers who had returned to Canada.

Pte. Robert Anderson would be killed in a railway accident near Brantford in 1927 and was buried in Woodstock. He was 44 years old at the time.

If you are interested in learning more about the organizations formed, in the County, to assist WWI veterans or are seeking information on a particular veteran, please contact the Archives for more information. WWI personnel files are also available on the Library Archives Canada website and provide a great starting point for military research.

Pte. Anderson's Attestation Papers