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Gananoque was a target of an American raid on the town in the war of 1812 and in 1870 it was the center of raids by Irish-Americans hoping to annex Canada just after its Civil War. Those raids are why Gananoque became the home one of the first militia units formed in 1870 in Canada as British forces began leaving Canada. That Gananoque artillery militia unit was mobilized in WW1 and WW2 and was in the Town until 1949. In 1914, it was one of the first militia units to be mobilized on 4 August 1917, the first day of the First World War, and was led by Major Russel Britton (later Lt Col) who would be killed in action just after Vimy Ridge. That war came at the cost of the lives of 48 area men, including four sets of brothers. WW2 claimed 25 lives and Afghanistan claimed Randy Payne whose father is a member of our Branch. Our legion has one of the largest military medal collections in Canada with medals dating from the Fenian Raids of 1870 to the current day with over 300 medals awarded to Gananoque area men and women who served in uniform in war and peace. We have a medal many Canadian units which served in Afghanistan would be eager to display. The Kandahar medal was awarded to a British soldier who served in Afghanistan in 1880 and who later settled in Gananoque after leaving the British Army. Our Branch also has a replica a replica of the VC awarded posthumously to Private Harry Brown of Gananoque for his heroism in August 1917. 

In 2007 Our branch and our town funded the erection a cairn near our war memorial honouring Brown. We had the original VC on display at our Legion for a week 2007 to mark the 90th anniversary of his act of valour. Our Legion hosted a reception held following the funeral for Corporal Randy Payne, killed in Afghanistan in 2006. His father is a member of our Branch. Our Branch has two rare medals issued by the Soviet Union to Gananoque sailors who made the dangerous convoy runs from Canada to Murmansk, Russia, during the Second World War. Gananoque veterans returning from WW1 were the driving force in erecting the Town war memorial which was dedicated 15 December 1920, the first one in Canada following the end of the Great War. Our Branch and the Town in 2024 funded the restoration of our war memorial. Our Poppy Fund supports veterans at Carveth Care centre and at Perley Rideau Veterans hospital in Ottawa. We sponsor school public speaking contests and Remembrance Week poster, essay, and essay contests.

Two Branch members, Geraldine Chase and Bill Beswetherick, wrote the book Gananoque Remembers which includes photos and biographies of the 84 Gananoque area men who lost their lives in the two world wars and Afghanistan. They also wrote the book Voices from the Past: Letters from the First World War which contain over 300 letters, 100 of which were written by Gananoque area men and women, who served in the First World War.

 

On the 4th of November 2025 the Ontario Government presented an award to a Veterans who also has done much good work in his or her community. We have selected a naval reserve veteran, Shirley Walker, who for seven years was President of our Ladies Auxiliary, and who a few years ago was named the Gananoque Honouree of the Year for her work in our community such as being a driver for Wheels of Care and a Palliative Care volunteer at Carveth. The Legion annually attends the Carveth Care Centre dedication of stones in honour of its veterans who have passed away. Our Poppy Fund compensates those who take veterans to medical appointments. We and our Ladies Auxiliary support charities and school programmes, offer space for events. Our Branch holds inexpensive monthly morning brunches while our Ladies Auxiliary weekly hosts many Celebrations of life and bi-monthly lunches. They also organize weekly Bingo and other activities and organize many Celebrations of Life. A Legion Executive member, John Beddows, is a veteran of Afghanistan and UN operations, is a Branch 92 Branch Executive members, and is Mayor of Gananoque. 

The youngest Canadian soldier to die in war likely was William Dailey of Gananoque who enlisted at age 14 and was killed at the Battle of the Somme at age 15. Perhaps the oldest soldier to enlist was William Boucher of Gananoque. The age limits to enlist in WW1 was 18 and 48. Boucher served a year near the front lines in France in a Canadian railway construction battalion until it was discovered he had enlisted at age72.The bottom line is that our Branch has been a key part of our community since even before we were formed in 1927.