CANADA JOINS THE BOER WAR

[Mervyn Mitton]

One for our Canadian friends...

[Laurence Strong]

Many thanks :cheers:

[TacHel]

Any idea as to the unit(s) there?

[Laurence Strong]

Without a date to be sure, and with the lack of horses I would venture a guess and say the 2nd (Special Service) Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry, which arrived in time to fight at the Battle of Paardeberg in February 1900. As the war dragged on, the Canadian cavalry, the Royal Canadian Dragoons and Lord Strathcona's Horse also went.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Laurence - I always thought Lord Strathcona was the Governor General - according to the caption, it was Lord Minto.

I know Strathcona's Horse were the first to be sent home and had the full date letters on the QSA.

[Laurence Strong]

Hello Mervyn

I was under the impression that my old alma matter (2bn RCR) at that time the 2nd (Special Service) Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry were the first home. They were volunteers enlisted for six months' service, which could be extended to 12 months if necessary. They landed in Cape Town on the 30 November 1899 and departed for Canada on the 7 the of November 1900, they reached England on the 29 November, were inspected and thanked personaly by Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle, It was one of her last public apperances as she died less than 2 months later.

Source: 100 Years The Royal Canadian Regiment 1883 -1993

The Strat's were one of the last in the British Empire to be created and raised by a private individual (I believe that the 2nd Bn PPCLI wins that distinction). During the Boer War, Donald Alexander Smith, 1st Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal, recruited and equipped the cavalry regiment at his own expense for service in South Africa. Many skilled horsemen (cowboys and North-West Mounted Police members) enlisted, allowing for a short training period and rapid deployment to Africa. The 537 officers and men, as well as 599 horses, of the new regiment sailed from Halifax on 18 March 1900 and arrived in Cape Town on 10 April. Along with The Royal Canadian Dragoons, the regiment won renown for their scouting skills. After the war, the regiment boarded ship at Cape Town on 20 January 1901 and arrived in London on 14 February. Here they met Lord Strathcona for the first time and were presented their medals by King Edward VII personally. On its return to Canada on 9 March 1901, the regiment was disbanded. The regiment was recreated as regiment of the Permanent Force in 1909.

Source: Wiki

[Mervyn Mitton]

Thankyou for correcting me - this is information that may be available from many sources - but, tends to be overlooked because it does not form part of your own history also, because a name will 'stick' in your mind. I think we need info. on Canadian historical events. I am going to post shortly, the history of a man who helped form the North West Mounted Police in 1873.

Mervyn

[QSAMIKE]

An unknown member of 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles......

Photo dated 1900 and marked 2 CMR on reverse......

Mike

[QSAMIKE]

Our Boys from Quebec.......

Mike

[William1]

As an aside for collectors, there's a Canadian uniform grouping on Marway Militaria's site that includes a tunic of the pattern two posts above this one. It's not exactly cheap, but it has been there a while and he might be open to offers.

[QSAMIKE]

Any idea as to the unit(s) there?

CANADIAN CONTINGENTS

LORD STRATHCONA HORSE

1ST C.M.R., ROYAL CANADIAN DRAGOONS (01/08/00)

2ND C.M.R., CANADIAN MOUNTED RIFLES (AFTER 01/08/00)

ROYAL CANADIAN DRAGOONS

ROYAL CANADIAN FIELD ARTILLERY

"C" BATTERY

"D" BATTERY

"E" BATTERY

ROYAL CANADIAN REGIMENT OF INFANTRY

CANADIAN MEDICAL STAFF

NO. 10 FIELD HOSPITAL

CANADIAN POSTAL CORPS

CANADIAN STAFF

CANADIAN ARTICIFERS

There were also Correspondents and Chapains attached.......

3RD, 4TH, 5TH, 6TH C.M.R., CANADIAN MOUNTED RIFLES WERE FORMED BUT NEVER SAW ANY ACTIVE SERVICE

Mike