The Name

 

The Branch started in 1954 by interested veterans of World War I, World War II, Boer War and Korea who hailed from Gatineau and the surrounding area; most of whom were employees of the Canadian International Paper Company (C.I.P.).

 

After a number of meetings, the Branch received its name and with the concurrence of the parents of the late Herbert Norris, one of the young men, who volunteered and died for his country in the Second World War.  The Branch was named in his memory.

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The Beginning

 

Meetings first took place at the old community hall near the C.I.P. Company on Main Street, Gatineau, Quebec.  Following this, the Branch met at the Tecumseh Golf Club and the St-Jean-Marie Vianney Church Hall now known as the Gatineau Recreation Association.

 

The Founding Members

 

Candidates met in Buckingham, Quebec on 22 September 1954 where they were sworn in as full members.

 

The original Executive Committee consisted of:

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President– Arthur Boudreau

 1st Vice President – Edward Cummings

 Secretary – Mike Lavelle

 Treasurer – Douglas MacLaurin

 Members of the Executive - James O’Farrell, Lucien Bergevin & Bill Wingrove

 Sergeant-At-Arms – Frank Wake

 

The Executive Committee along with the following members were the first members of the Branch

 

R. Allaire, R. Barbier, M. Baribeau, A. Baverstock, A. Bélanger, G. Bradley, G. Brisebois, G. Ceno, S. Cuillierier, J. De Carufel, C. Demers, B. Desrosiers, T. Duguay, J. Edwards, S. Ellis, M. Farbar Jr., E. Gates, L. Gendron, J. Greene, G. Hall, G. Hannan, R. Huywan, V. Kehoe, E. Lambert, A. Lauzon, F. Mayer, H. McCarthy, J. Miller, A. Montigny, B. Murray, P. Nobert, A. Ouellette, B. Pigeon, J. Poulin, T. Rochon, B. Shields, H. Simpson, B. Webster.

 

The Presidents of the Branch

 

1954 - 1956    A. Boudreau

1957 - 1958    E. Gates

1959 - 1962    J. Norris

1963 - 1964    W. Magnus

1965 - 1966    V. Kehoe

1967 - 1968    S.F. Cuillerier

1969 - 1970    R.C. Zwicker

1971 - 1975    N.V. Clohosy

1976                S.F. Cuillerier

1977 - 1978    R.C. Zwicker

1979 - 1985    R.J. Biron

1986 - 1988    R. Belhumeur

1989                 J.H. Leclair

1990 - 1991    P.G. Radford

1992                N. Smith

1993                R. Belhumeur

1994                P. Gendron

1995 - 1999    C. Aubin-Lalonde

2000 - 2001    A. Chénier

2002 - 2003    W. Mellor

2004 - 2006    R. Doiron

2007 - 2012    P. Lalonde

2013 - 2015    G. Sanscartier

2016 - 2018    P. Lalonde

2019 - 2024    L. Himbeault

2025 -              M. Denault

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Ladies Auxiliary

 

The Ladies Auxiliary was originally formulated and they held their first meeting on 22 May 1957 with the newly elected Executive Committee being installed at St. Georges Church, Gatineau, Quebec on 11 June 1957.  Marion Gallinger was the first Ladies Auxiliary President.

 

President - Marion Gallinger

First Vice-President - Laura Gates

Second Vice-President - Allison Simpson 

Third Vice-President - Gertrude McMillan

Secretary - Marcella Bennet

Treasurer - Agnes Magnus

Sergeant-At-Arms - Marjorie Smart

 

The first chartered members included

 

Pauline Barbier, Joan Blanchard, Elizabeth Clifford, Florence Edwards, Mary Farber, Eva Laurin, Anita Leclair, Catherine McFaul, Mary Murphy, Joan Norris, Mabel Weatherdon

 

Presidents of the Ladies Auxiliary

 

1957              M. Gallinger

1958 - 1959  E. Henneberry

1960 - 1963  E. Deveau

1964              A. Magnus

1965 - 1966  J. Boyd

1967 - 1969  E. Deveau

1970 - 1971  L. Barbeau

1972 - 1973  B. McCarthy

1974 - 1977  E. Deveau

1978 - 1982  M. McCartin

1983 - 1984  C. Tessier

1985 - 1986  A. Cannon

1987 - 1988  H. Last

1989 - 1990  J. Duquette

1991 - 1992  L. Gaudreau

1993 - 1994  G. Ryan

1995 - 1996  C. Picard

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