Galt Recruiting for the 34th Battalion (22 August 1915)

Another round of recruitment for the 34th Battalion occurred in Galt throughout August. A recruiting rally was held on August 22 at Scott’s Opera House in Galt. The house was filled to capacity and hundreds were reportedly turned away at the door. The rally was preceded by a parade of the 29th Regiment Brass Pipe and Bugle band and cars containing the children of fighting soldiers.
At a patriotic meeting in Milton on August 25, it was remarked that Canadians were now realizing that this was their war and those born in Canada were enlisting in increasing amounts. This sentiment was echoed in both the local town of Galt and the small community of Ayr. In Galt, the percentage of Canadian-born men who enlisted in the 34th Battalion in August was about a quarter of the total compared to just one tenth in the past January.
Galt took pride in its recruiting contributions which were comparable per capita to those of big cities including Toronto.

(“Big Recruiting Meeting Sunday,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, 20 April 1915.; “Big Patriotic Rally in Galt,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, 23 August 1915.; “Canadian-Born Realize Canada Is Now at War,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, 27 August 1915.; “Two more Ayr young men…,” Ayr News, 12 August 1915.; https://archive.org/details/CEF_34thBattalion_1915.; “Galt Sets Fine Example by Its Recruiting Pace,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, 31 August 1915.
Visual: http://regimentalrogue.com/battlehonours/infimages/034bn.jpg)34th Battalion