Canadian military contingents sent to assist Britain pre-1900

OK, unlike Australian colonial mil hist, I'm not much of an expert at Canada's mil hist say 1815-1900- but is there any way that the Canadian provinces could've sent combat contingents to assist Britain in say the Crimean War or any other such major conflict during the Canadian Confderation period (in a similar manner to Canadian, Australian & NZ contingents later being sent to Sth Afr for the Boer War), & with what effect on Canadian nationhood ?
 
OK, unlike Australian colonial mil hist, I'm not much of an expert at Canada's mil hist say 1815-1900- but is there any way that the Canadian provinces could've sent combat contingents to assist Britain in say the Crimean War or any other such major conflict during the Canadian Confderation period (in a similar manner to Canadian, Australian & NZ contingents later being sent to Sth Afr for the Boer War), & with what effect on Canadian nationhood ?

I thought Canada sent some men to the Boer War as well.
 
I thought Canada sent some men to the Boer War as well.

mate, that's exactly what I said in my post- explicitly mentioning the Canadian contribution to the Boer War- but WI say Canada had sent troops to fight in other places before then in any other Victorian era-war- such as the Crimea, the Sudan, or even South Africa against the Zulus ?
 
mate, that's exactly what I said in my post- explicitly mentioning the Canadian contribution to the Boer War- but WI say Canada had sent troops to fight in other places before then in any other Victorian era-war- such as the Crimea, the Sudan, or even South Africa against the Zulus ?

Ok, I see it now, sorry about that. :eek:

Sudan is the least likely here since it was technically Egyptian, so the British already have Egyptian troops that would easily fill the Dominion's role and I don't see Commonweath troops being put to use in an area that's not directly British.

The Zulu War was too short for the British to really need to call for help from their Dominions. If that becomes more bloody and more drawn out, than that could be plausible.

Crimea was long and drawn out, but if Canada sent troops there, it could be highly unpopular, since Canada is being forced to contribute troops to protect an Ottoman Empire that does not affect Canada at all.
 

67th Tigers

Banned
Ok, I see it now, sorry about that. :eek:

Sudan is the least likely here since it was technically Egyptian, so the British already have Egyptian troops that would easily fill the Dominion's role and I don't see Commonweath troops being put to use in an area that's not directly British.

The Zulu War was too short for the British to really need to call for help from their Dominions. If that becomes more bloody and more drawn out, than that could be plausible.

Crimea was long and drawn out, but if Canada sent troops there, it could be highly unpopular, since Canada is being forced to contribute troops to protect an Ottoman Empire that does not affect Canada at all.

In late 1855 Upper and Lower Canada were ordered to recruit a battalion each for general service as part of the "Royal British North American Regiment", I assume a Nova Scotian and New Brunswick Bn would also be raised.
 

MacCaulay

Banned
OK, unlike Australian colonial mil hist, I'm not much of an expert at Canada's mil hist say 1815-1900- but is there any way that the Canadian provinces could've sent combat contingents to assist Britain in say the Crimean War or any other such major conflict during the Canadian Confderation period (in a similar manner to Canadian, Australian & NZ contingents later being sent to Sth Afr for the Boer War), & with what effect on Canadian nationhood ?

As Tigers pointed out, the Canadian military during the Crimean War period wasn't very large. And the small corps or trained and experienced troops they did have (mostly from internal uprisings) probably would cost more to transport than they would save actually fighting.

The Canadians are excellent soldiers. (If I do say so myself) But there's never been an enormous amount of professional troops.
 
Sudan is the least likely here since it was technically Egyptian, so the British already have Egyptian troops that would easily fill the Dominion's role and I don't see Commonweath troops being put to use in an area that's not directly British.

Ironically, the attempted relief of Gordon in 1884/5 actually saw the first use of Canadian troops abroad- Garnet Wolseley, who had of course served in Canada during the Riel affair, requested the deployment of 380-odd Canadian "Voyageurs" to help with the transportation of supplies up the Nile. Here's what the New York Times had to say about it;

New York Times said:
Ottawa, Ontario, Sept.5- The Imperial Government has changed its plans in regard to taking the Canadian contingent of the Gordon Relief expedition to Liverpool, and thence to Egypt. Two ocean steamers have been chartered to take them direct to Alexandria, the first vessel to sail next week. Gen. Wolseley made his first mark in direcxting the Red River expedition, and he has asked that as many of the men as may be available who then accompanied him may be sent with him to Egypt.

The Canadians were generally very highly regarded, and six died during the course of the expedition; illness was very common though, and when their six-month contract expired only 89 signed up for another tour, despite a 50% increase in pay.
 
In terms of army troops I can't see much unless there is a call for volunteers to fill english battalions...would need a long battle.

I've got the song "Barrett's Privateer's" running through my head though...not sure what is available for navel forces out of Halifax, St. John's, or Victoria pre Boer war.

Possible POD though...Cornelius Van Horne supervised the construction of the transcanada railway...and after that project was done went on to contruct a trans-Cuba railway.
 
How about a POD where there's no War of 1812, and instead of dieing at Queeston Hieghts, Sir Isaac Brock dies commanding Canadians at Waterloo. Canadian nationalism didn't exist in 1815, but the prospect of Canadians fighting at Waterloo would be a hughe boost to colonial pride.
 
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Ok, I see it now, sorry about that. :eek:

Sudan is the least likely here since it was technically Egyptian, so the British already have Egyptian troops that would easily fill the Dominion's role and I don't see Commonweath troops being put to use in an area that's not directly British.

The Zulu War was too short for the British to really need to call for help from their Dominions. If that becomes more bloody and more drawn out, than that could be plausible.

Crimea was long and drawn out, but if Canada sent troops there, it could be highly unpopular, since Canada is being forced to contribute troops to protect an Ottoman Empire that does not affect Canada at all.

well, dude, during the 1st-mentioned, the Australian colony of NSW also did muster a contingent which however arrived too late to see any fighting...
 
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