Sunday, November 27, 2022

For Queen And Country

 The concluding years of the 19th century was a heady time for the British empire, with Queen Victoria marking her 60th anniversary as Queen not just of Britain, but all of the empire, including Canada.


In the mix of this came the South African War, a conflict between Afrikaaner farmers and the British. Canadians would be drawn into it.


Prime Minister Wilfred Laurier had to figure out how to deal with more than one side to the issue.


Canadian troops would be sent halfway across the world and take part in a war that, perhaps because of its proximity in time to a greater cataclysm in the First World War, is often overlooked.


I leave off today with weapons of the time.

38 comments:

  1. Love the poster from the era. Very retro.

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  2. Not a war I know much about, I guess I should read up.

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  3. Interesting photos and information William. Thank you!

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  4. We thought Victoria would be ingest serving monarch ever. I don't think current records will be broken for a long time if ever. Apparently Louis XIV ruled longer. I didn’t know that and just looked it up, but I was only thinking of Britain anyway.

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    1. And Louis was only that because he became king as a child.

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  5. Another quality 'war exhibit' and well photographed ~

    Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days ~
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  6. I enjoyed seeing the Queen Victoria memorabilia.

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  7. The weapons of war have changed a bit…

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  8. I really like those old Victorian posters, they are a glimpse into history

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  9. These weapons wouldn't be useful in the wars of today. Interesting displays!

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    1. Today a sniper range can be a couple kilometers away.

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  10. I'm from an age when Boer war vets were still around. It seemed like a war they wanted to be in. They were volunteers.

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  11. I was introduced to the Boer war through many of my grandmother's novels. Like all wars, it was ugly.

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  12. Yes, what an exciting time to be a part of the empire!

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  13. Many thanks for sharing these photographs and information.

    All the best Jan

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