World War I trench system re-construction

By Lisa Parent

Medicine Hat’s regimental museum welcomes public again after three-year shut down

Aug 28, 2023 | 6:07 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – For three years the Regimental Museum for the South Alberta Light Horse at Patterson Armoury has been sitting dormant, with no access to the public. COVID-19 restrictions caused the pause in operations. However, starting September 6th the museum will be reopening.

“Luckily, the museum survived those three years rather well,” says Wes Krause, the curator of the museum. “All I had to do was basically come in, clean up some areas. Projects I had planned prior to the pandemic, got those done. Now we’re moving forward, we’ve got more projects to work on. Luckily I have the support of the regiment, as well as the regiment foundation.”

The museum sits on property of the department of national defence. It operates under the auspices of the Canadian Armed Forces, but is coordinated and funded by the South Alberta Light Horse Regiment Foundation.

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The museum is operated by volunteers, some that previously served with the Light Horse. It displays items like a life-sized reconstruction of a World War I trench system, along with a local soldier who was awarded the prestigious Victoria Cross.

Krause says Medicine Hat is lucky to have such an abundant museum and hopes Hatters will utilize it now that it’s open.

“This tiny little spot here, the history that’s represented here and the artifacts that are here, is bar none the best I’ve ever seen,” Krause says.

He adds that it’s important to preserve the memory of the soldiers and their experiences.

“That’s critically important because if we lose that we lose a piece of who we are, not only as a community, but as a province and in the bigger picture, as a country.”

The Regimental museum will be open for public visits every Wednesday 1:00 pm to 4:00pm starting September 6 to November 29, 2023.