TRANSCRIPT

A New Beginning

There were several attempts between 1896-1914 to raise a Militia unit in New Ontario, as Northwestern Ontario was often called prior to the First World War. It was not until 3 July 1905 that a new as of yet undesignated rural regiment of infantry was authorized. In December the unit was designated 96th "The Lake Superior Regiment" (LSR), with its Headquarters localized at Port Arthur, No. 1 and 2 Company were located at Port Arthur, No. 3 and 4 Company were headquartered at Fort William, No. 5 Company at Fort Frances and No. 6 Company at Kenora. On the 1st of April 1907 the Militia adopted letter designations starting with "A" for companies of rural regiments.
The following year the Fort Frances and Kenora Companies were detached to form the nucleus another rural regiment, the 98th Regiment, that would later become the 98th "The Rainy River and Kenora" Regiment. At the same time "E" Company was moved to Port Arthur and "F" Company to Fort William, and the status of the 96th was raised to that of a city corps. This entitled the unit to paid drill at local headquarters and ensured it would receive authority to attend the annual summer camp.
David Ratz