| Veterans Guard |
In May of 1940 the Veterans Guard was established to utilize the skills of ex-service men able and willing to serve on the Canadian Homefront. It is uncertain how many signed up from the Summerside area. Two platoons of eighty men were stationed at Summerside for guard work while RCAF Summerside was being built. The Veterans Guard left the Island in 1941 as there was no longer a need for their services. One of their jobs in other parts of Canada was to guard German prisoners of war. |
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| Reserve Army |
The National Defence Department decided in 1942 that there was a risk of Prince Edward Island being attacked by the German U-boats known to be in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. They felt it was necessary to raise a reserve army of volunteers who could be trained to fight should an attack happen. By March 18th of 1942, one hundred workmen from Summerside and area had signed up for training. Other units were formed throughout the province. The Reserve Army had a difficult time keeping its recruits as many joined the regular forces. |
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Air Raid Precaution Committee
(male and female volunteers welcome) |
With U-boats lurking along the coastlines of the Island there was fear that an attack could be made on Island communities. The biggest fear was of a nighttime air raid as darkness gave enemy planes the cover of unsuspected approach, as well as the advantage of town lights to spot targets. In response to such threats the Air Raid Precaution Committee was established. The Summerside branch of the nation-wide committee was to prepare and teach local citizens what to do in case of an enemy air attack. Each homeowner was to have on hand material for blackening out windows and sand, shovels and roof ladders to fight fires. Air raid sirens were installed in the town. Once the siren sounded, people were to move swiftly into action. Many practice sessions were held with the first being an Island wide blackout on 19 January 1942. The Summerside town clock on the top of Town Hall was blackened out for a year and street lighting greatly reduced. By September of 1944 the province decided the "submarine menace had definitely passed" and lighting restrictions were called off and no more blackout practices held. |
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| Aircraft Detection Corps |
The Federal Government announced in 1942 that with the presence of enemy submarines along the coastlines the government would begin to train civilians to spot enemy vessels or aircraft. As well, they would be asked to watch for any Canadian aircraft that could run into trouble. Prince Edward Island was divided into six regions with a chief observer for every forty-eight miles. It was their job to enroll as many official observers as possible. By 1944, when the corps was disbanded over 20,000 volunteers had been trained maritime observers. |
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