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!
Triumphal arch for the departure of troops to South Africa
Louis Lachance
This image shows De la Fabrique Street, where a triumphal arch was built to encourage the Canadian troops leaving Québec City in 1899. This contingent of 1,000 volunteers fought under Lieutenant-Colonel William Otter, known for his 1885 command in western Canada of federal troops in the North-West Rebellion against the Métis and First Nations.
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