The first organized meeting of Great War veterans was held in 1934 in the Riverside Town Hall. About 50 veterans and visitors from other veterans' associations turned up for the meeting. After some discussions, it was decided to call the new body the Riverside War Veterans Association and George Coates was elected President.

In 1934 the country was in the grip of a depression, there was little money around and only a few people were working. Several meetings were held in the town hall and then in the homes of various members. The group then decided to affiliate with a national organization the Canadian Legion. Elections were held and P.B. Dunlevy was elected the first President. Soon after this, the Canadian Legion of the British Empire Service League held a convention in Toronto and President Dunlevy attended with Charlie Hamilton.

During 1935, the members acquired their first home which was the old William Furlong home at Ford Blvd. and Riverside Drive. After a short period here, they moved their meetings to the old St. Clare Hotel on the Detroit riverfront, because membership was expanding they were looking for a more permanent headquarters and club rooms.

In 1936, the C.C.F. Party in Windsor had premises near the corner of Jefferson and Wyandotte Street and the building was for sale for $800.00. The branch could not raise that amount; however, arrangements were made for the branch to occupy the building if they would pay the annual taxes which amounted to $25.00 per year.

The next president to ne elected was John F. Burns who operated a dry goods store and was well known to everyone in the area. The branch had some activity going every night except Sundays. When they ran bingo games, they borrowed tables and chairs from the Fire Department on Richmond Street, and they had to pick them up and return them the same night so the others could borrow them for the same purpose. On weekend dance nights, a committee who arranged for the beer would travel to the small breweries in LaSalle, Windsor, and Tecumseh and would purchase a keg from whoever gave them the best deal. For awhile, they fed a flock of chicks in a garage and fattened them for the next banquet. They scrounged door prizes and raffled anything they could make a dollar on, and started a building fund. They had purchased a building lot, then two more lots, where our building stands today.

Under John Burns as President, they built the clubrooms and the Grand Opening was held on Friday, June 30, 1939. The new home of the Colonel E.S. Wigle Branch 255 of the Canadian Legion, British Empire Service League.

Soon after moving into the new building, the executive found themselves locked out. The contractor had not paid for the lumber. So once again, another problem had to be resolved. Comrades Charlie Hamilton, John Burns and Barney Dunlevy had to guarantee a bank loan to pay the lumber company.

The Great War Veterans had come a long way, considering the depression, lack of money, growing families and another war looming darkly in the future. And it all started again within three months.

During the war years, with the dedicated help of the Ladies Auxiliary, the branch carried on supplying parcels, cigarettes, etc to husbands, sons and daughters in the service and praying for an end to it all.

After W.W. II and the Korean War, the branch had a steady increase in membership. Riverside became one of the fastest growing areas in the Windsor area and in a few years, the branch grew from one of the smallest to one of the largest branches in Windsor.

The acceptance of sons and daughters and spouses of ordinary members over the past several years has also increased membership. The recent acceptance of spouses of associates will without a doubt bring in further members.

Space does not permit to go into the many outstanding abilities of our Ladies Auxiliary which has always been part and parcel of our Branch and without their generous aid and kindness our achievements over the past years could not have been possible.

A Cenotaph had never been erected in the Town of Riverside. In 1958, our branch, with limited funds, went ahead with erection of a Cenotaph and while not as elaborate as they would have liked it, it made our 25th Anniversary a milestone of achievement in our history. Special mention goes to Mr. R.C. Pruefer of Riverside, who upon learning that we were footing the entire cost of the project, offered his services for its' construction. When his account was rendered, we issued a cheque which was promptly returned with thanks. The cheque was then put into the Poppy Fund.

Thanks, also were in order to Riverside Public Utilities Commission for erecting the necessary lighting equipment and maintenance of same without cost to the Branch, and to the Riverside Parks Board and the Riverside Board of Works who made possible the grounds surrounding the Cenotaph.

At present time, our branch continues to prosper and is deeply involved in many phases of Community Service.