Historic links to Canadian soldiers

Remembering Auld Ayr and the Carnegie library are hosting an evening on Tuesday December 11 in the Local History department of the library.

Doors open at 6.20pm and the 90 minute event will start at 6.30pm.

In 1916, the Royal Newfoundland Regiment established their Battalion base in the town of Ayr. They built up many strong links with the town, not the least which were relationships between the soldiers and some of the young women of the town. Some led to marriages but others to children.

There is a very moving section of Ayr Cemetery that has Some of the graves of young Newfoundlanders who when arriving in Ayr, were vulnerable to common diseases such as measles.

The event will look at the links, show some film of the town and the regiment and meet one of the descendents of the soldiers and a local girl.

Richard Devine and Ken Nairn of the Auld Ayr team will be there with library staff.