Contrary to what our current (2016 Liberal) Canadian Government of Canada would have Canadians and immigrants think, Canada has a long and honourable involvement with that regrettable human activity – WAR.
Prior to July 1st 1867 when the British colonies here formally came together to form a country called Canada, we were involved as British in many wars. It was not until the Statue of Westminster in 1931 that Canada had the choice of whether or not to go to war. Thus, in World War I, when Britain declared war on Germany, Turkey and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Canada was automatically at war.
Here are some of the wars that Canada has been involved in in various ways.
- The American Revolution (aka War of Independence) I reportedly have United Empire Loyalist ancestors, but also at least one Rebel ancestor from New Jersey.
- War of 1812 (A couple of Couse relatives were in that war.)
- 1837 Rebellion (my ancestor, Neil MacGregor was in that in the Cutting out of the Caroline which almost started another war between Britain and the USA)
- 1870 Riel Rebellion (I had a MacGregor relative in that in the Ontario Rifles)
- 1885 Northwest Rebellion (I had a MacGregor relative in that in the Winnipeg Field Battery at Batoche)
- Sudan (Canadian boatmen)
- Boer War
- World War I (I had relatives in that and two were killed e.g. Earl Walter HUME and Charles Gordon McKAY)
- Allied Intervention in Russia 1919. Raymond Collishaw’s description of his part in this.
- Spanish Civil War (Canadian Mackenzie-Papineau “Mac-Paps” Battalion)
- World War II (many relatives in that e.g. A.H. STEVENS)
- Korean War (My wife lost an American cousin in that war)
- Vietnam War (about 10,000 Canadians served with the American forces there and some were killed)
- Rhodesian Bush War (some Canadians volunteered to go)
- Gulf War
- War on Terror (Afghanistan)
- War on Terror (Daesh/ISIS/ISIL)
As well there were other peoples’ wars that Canadians placed themselves in the middle of as “Peacekeepers.” Canadian Peacekeepers were killed in Cyprus, Lebanon etc.
- Belgian Congo
- India-Pakistan
- Gaza (Egypt)
- Cyprus
- Golan Heights
- Yugoslavia
- etc.
Captain Wm. Arnott Stevens, 19th Regiment. Off to command a detachment guarding the Welland Canal.