Units
3rd (Special Service) Battalion
The 3rd (Special Service) Battalion, Royal
Canadian Regiment of Infantry changes the guard at Wellington Barracks,
Gottingen Street, Halifax, 1900.
Following the first few difficult months of the war, Britain was
anxious to send to South Africa the infantry battalion it had stationed
in Halifax, which was an important British naval base. Following some
negotiations, on 8 February 1900, the Laurier government announced its
intention to replace the British regiment in Halifax for the duration of
the war with a Canadian unit. Thus was born the 3rd (Special Service)
Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry (3 RCRI).
Numbering 1,004 all ranks, and composed of men from militia units
across the country, the new battalion took up its duties on 25 March
1900. The end of the war in South Africa allowed the British to
regarrison Halifax and on 1 October 1902,
3 RCRI
stood down in favour of the 5th Battalion, Royal Garrison Regiment.
While
3 RCRI
served exclusively in Canada, its strength is included in the overall
number of Canadians, 8,372, raised for service during the South African
War.
The battalion had set the precedent for Canadian troops to garrison
the Halifax fortress. In 1905-06, Canada assumed full responsibility for
the defence of Halifax, and units of the Permanent Force took over from
the last British force that garrisoned Canada.