P.E.I. military exhibit draws interest in Islanders' contributions in WWI
Susan Bradley | CBC News | Posted: November 11, 2016 4:00 PM | Last Updated: November 11, 2016
'We had another record-breaking year for visitors,' says museum curator Greg Gallant
The Island's involvement in World War I is drawing visitors to a special exhibit at the P.E.I. Regiment Museum in Charlottetown.
"It's been very busy all year. We had another record-breaking year for visitors, we're over 4,000 already," said Capt. Greg Gallant, curator of the P.E.I. Regiment Museum.
Remembrance Day is a busy time for military historians like Gallant.
"I've been doing talks on World War I [recently] because our biggest exhibit this year is on Prince Edward Island's footsteps in World War I," he told Mainstreet P.E.I.
The exhibit, Rally Round the Flag – Prince Edward Island and the Great War, also marks the 100th anniversary of the 105th Battalion — Prince Edward Island Highlanders' departure overseas.
It's important to preserve the Island's war history, said Gallant.
Remembering all who served
During the creation of exhibit, organizers also had to correct some misinformation about P.E.I.'s role in the First World War.
"For example, it's always been said we had about 4,000 enlistments. We actually had over 7,000," Gallant said.
"We also had to highlight some of the units that had been forgotten about … also the nurses and the homefront."
The exhibit moves to Summerside's Eptek Art & Culture Centre next week.
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