The centennial of the Royal Canadian Legion, celebrated in Ottawa on July 17, holds special meaning in SimcoeThe centennial of the Royal Canadian Legion, celebrated in Ottawa on July 17, holds special meaning in Simcoe, home to the only legion branch in Haldimand-Norfolk that was founded in the same year as the national veterans’ organization. “But our history goes back much longer than that,” said James Christison, president of Legion Branch 79 in Simcoe. “As the war was still raging, they had the foresight to realize there was a need for huge support for veterans returning,” Christison said. The group merged with the local British Empire Service League chapter and joined the newly incorporated Royal Canadian Legion in 1926 to create “one strong voice” for veterans, Christison said. Norfolk’s five other legion branches were formed soon after, and their work to encourage remembrance while supporting veterans and their families continues today.