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Canadians Who Served

One thousand men had been recruited to form the First Contingent, called the 2nd (Special Service) Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment (2RCRI), under the Command of Lieutenant-Colonel William Otter. The contingent, including doctors and nurses, sailed on October 30, 1899, from Quebec City on a converted cattle ship called the Sardinian. Meanwhile, a series of disastrous setbacks for Britain in South Africa commonly known as " Black Week" produced an urgent request from the British government for Canada to provide skilled mounted troops.

The Second Contingent was formed of two regiments and three artillery batteries. Troop trains, carrying volunteers and horses received thunderous welcomes at stations across Canada as they headed to Halifax to leave for South Africa. The two regiments were the 1st Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles (renamed the Royal Canadian Dragoons as its nucleus came from that unit) and the 2nd Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles [subsequently the Canadian Mounted Rifles with it's basis in the North West Mounted Police (NWMP)]. The three artillery batteries were C, D, and E and they hailed from as far west as Manitoba and as far east as Nova Scotia.

There were other contingents raised in Canada to go to South Africa, for example, the Lord Strathcona Horse which was completely financed by Donald A. Smith, Lord Strathcona , Canada's High Commissioner in London. This was another mounted force and contained many troops from the NWMP and was led by the former mounted police superintendent, Sam Steele. As well, the South African Constabulary and the 10th Field Ambulance Company were raised in Canada along with others.

More than 7,000 Canadians volunteered to fight in the South African War. However, not all saw action since many landed in South Africa after the hostilities ended while others performed garrison duty in Halifax so that their British counterparts could join at the front. Approximately 277 Canadians died in the South Africa War, 89 men were killed in action, 135 died of disease, the remainder of accident or injury; and 252 were wounded. One of the great tragedies of the South Africa War was that thousands died agonizing and unnecessary deaths caused largely by lack of personal hygiene, poor sanitation, disease, and inadequate medical care.

Compared with the total British commitment in South Africa of about 450,000 men, Canada's effort of 7,368 men and women was relatively small. Nevertheless, Canadians were viewed at home and abroad as having done an excellent job and proved to be the equal of their British counterparts. Canadians in South Africa earned a reputation as tough and proficient fighters, and they learned valuable lessons in South Africa—training became more realistic and discipline much tighter. These lessons would prove useful in Canada's involvement in the bloody conflicts of the twentieth century.