The Edmonton (Northern Alberta Command) of the Legion of Frontiersmen made efforts to acquire rifles for training at the outset of the 1914 Great War. With the backing of Edmonton's city mayor and the lieutenant-governor of Alberta, the Frontiersmen finally acquired .45-75 Model 1876 Winchester carbines. These carbines were provided in 1916 by Commissioner Perry of Canada's mounted police for the duration of the war.

Initially, in 1914, the Legion of Frontiersmen requested rifles from the Canadian Militia and they were turned down. The Frontiersmen then went about purchasing .45-70 Peabody breech loading rifles from the United States supplier Remington Arms of New York and subsequently smuggled them across the border. Much later some of these rifles were found in an attic and registered with the Edmonton City Police in 1940. It is not known if any of the Peabody rifles that belonged to the Legion of Frontiersmen survived.

The Legion of Frontiersmen command including Legion members designated United Farmers of Alberta Mounted Infantry Corps became the Edmonton Battalion Reserve Militia. They immediately began lobbying authorities to acquire the infamous (unsuitable for the front) and now surplus Ross rifle. It is at this point in August of 1916 that Commissioner Perry of the Royal North West Mounted Police turned the .45-75 Winchester carbines over to the Legion of Frontiersmen for the duration of the war.

Collectors are aware that the LOF stamp can be found on some .45-75 Winchester carbines. As well the author has been informed that some of these carbines may be stamped NWMP and LOF and APP. It is worth noting that in 1916, Commandant P.C.H. Primrose of the Legion of Frontiersmen became the officer commanding the Edmonton Battalion of Reserve Militia (composed of Legion of Frontiersmen). As well as his work with the Legion of Frontiersmen, Primrose was on the three man board responsible for the formation of the Alberta Provincial Police in 1917. By 1920, P.C.H. Primrose was the Edmonton Police Court Magistrate. Interestingly, both the Model 1876 Winchesters and P.C.H. Primrose had service spanning the mounted police, the Legion of Frontiersmen and the Alberta Provincial Police.

References:

"Local Legion to be Battalion of Reserve Militia", p.5, 26 June 1916, The Morning Bulletin, Edmonton.
"Rifles Secured for Reserve Militia", p.4, 19 August 1916, The Morning Bulletin, Edmonton.
E.P.S. The First 100 Years, A.J. Mair, p.41