The Battlefords North West Historical Society has issued a release stating it is pleased the Battleford town council has named the portion of Highway 4 within the town as Colonel Otter Trail.
Battleford town council approved the naming in honour of the commander of the militia force that relieved Battleford during the 1885 Rebellion. The citizens of Battleford and surrounding area had taken refuge in Fort Battleford as a result of the burning and looting of their homes, farms and stores as well as some official residences on Government Ridge above the town.
The release states, “One can understand their relief when the column of soldiers commanded by Colonel William Otter arrived after a forced march from Swift Current.”
Streets and highways in Saskatchewan have been given names of prominent individuals who played a part in the history of Saskatchewan and its communities, said the Battlefords North West Historical Society, pointing to Colonel Otter as an individual who “certainly left his mark in the history of the town of Battleford.”
Considered one of Canada’s illustrious professional soldiers, he was the second Canadian to reach the rank of general. General Sir William Dillon Otter, KJCB, CVO, VD, would go on to command Canadian troops in the Boer War and eventually become the first Canadian-born chief of general staff, the commander of the Canadian Army.
