Great War Veterans Club

Veterans groups were formed to provide support for returning servicemen during the First World War. In 1916, a small community of soldiers returned to Calgary after fighting in Europe and banded together to form a mutual aid society. A year later, this group formed the Calgary branch of the Great War Veterans' Association of Canada, an organization dedicated to helping returning servicemen to reintegrate into civilian life. By 1919, the organization had grown dramatically and new facilities were required. That same year, the Prince of Wales broke sod on land provided by the city for the construction of a Memorial Hall honouring the heroic contributions of Canada's servicemen during the First World War. The building opened in 1922 and was dedicated to the memory of those who served in the Great War. In 1926, the Calgary branch of the Great War Veterans' Association of Canada joined the Canadian Legion of the British Empire Service League (later the Royal Canadian Legion).