Our History

    Branch #241 of the British Empire Service League, now known as The Royal Canadian Legion, received it's charter July 29th, 1932.

    The organization came into existence following the end of the First World War providing help and support for returning veterans and their families plus the solemn duty of remembrance for their fallen comrades.

    Meetings were held upstairs at the Comber Farmers Co-operative & Cold Storage located on Ford St, behind the Royal Bank of Canada and facing the Co-op grain elevators located beside the railroad tracks.

    One of the first aims of the new branch was to obtain a site and collect sufficient funds to erect a suitable memorial in memory of those who had fallen.

    Due to the times, the branch had limited funding available to complete the project until the Township of Tilbury West decided to build a new township hall in the centre of Comber. A parcel of land was offered to the branch by the township and project proceeded and was erected by the membership and the contractor, Mr. Harold Strang, who planned and built the new township hall. (This is currently the site of the Comber Medical Centre and the medical practice of Dr. Raymond Anderson MD.)

    Following the end of World War Two, with more veterans returning to the area, the branch needed to expand and proceeded to its current location. In 1948, Branch #241 purchased the McDermott tennis courts, next to the McDermott Photo Studio, where the branch currently sits. A cinder block building was erected and the hall became a place for war veterans to gather and share the camaraderie of their fellow veterans.

    In 1961, Branch #241 Ladies Auxiliary received their charter.

    1965 saw the branch purchase the Comber Egg Grading station which was owned by Leo Lampier and then Maple Leaf Mills. This building was located directly north of the current branch and was torn down to provide parking for the branch members.

    The 1970's saw the branch changing the entrance from facing the Main Street at the front of the building to face the parking lot to the north of the branch and expanding the branch to the north to allow more room for members to enjoy.

    Renovations to the branch interior, plus paving of the parking area, happened in 1996, and the year 2000 saw the creation of the Comber Veteran's Memorial Garden and moving of the original cenotaph to the new gardens. Wall murals depicting our Canadian Armed Forces were added to the outside of the branch in 2001.

    Branch #241 of the Royal Canadian Legion in Comber has always been a major sponsor of area groups and projects and continues to do so, including the Comber Fair, Victoria Day fireworks display, the Comber scouting and Comber softball and many others. The branch plays an important role in the village of Comber. ¹

1. Comber - Through the Years, Comber & District Historical Society Museum, 2009, pg 223