At the turn of the 20th century, war broke out in South Africa between the Boers—the descendants of the original Dutch, German and French colonizers—and the British. Canada, a dominion of the British Empire, sent soldiers overseas for the first time to support British troops. The first Canadian contingent of 1,000 volunteers left Québec City for South Africa by boat on October 30, 1899, shortly after the start of the conflict. The British won in 1902. See how Québec City residents experienced this milestone in the country’s history!
The SS Sardinian when the first contingent left for South Africa
Louis Lachance
This photograph shows the SS Sardinian carrying the first contingent of Canadian soldiers to the South African War. The ship sailed from the Port of Québec. Canadian opinion on participation in this war was deeply divided. French-speaking Canadians sympathized with the Boers, while English-speaking Canadians supported the British.
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