Riflemen of the Queen’s Own who served in the South Africa Campaign 1899-1902

Thirty-four Riflemen of the Queen’s Own volunteered for service with the First Canadian Contingent. Most of them served with C (Toronto) Company the 2nd Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry (RCRI) created specifically for the contingent from Militia units across Canada.

Captain R.K. Barker was Company Commander of 2 Company and former Riflemen, Lieutenant-Colonel William D Otter, commanded the Battalion and Major Lawrence Buchan was Deputy Commander.

Three Riflemen died and six were wounded in action. Where soldiers have biography pages on this site they are highlighted, Companies the soldiers belong to in the Queen’s Own are listed in the second column.

Last Name, Rank, Given Names	QOR Co.	Notes
Allen, Private Carleton Woodford	J Coy	WIA* Cronje’s Laager 17 Feb 1900
Anderson, Private FT	E Coy
Barker, Captain Rybert Kent	C Coy	Comanding C Co. 2nd RCRI
Beattie, Sergeant Albert	J Coy	Died of Enteric Fever 14 Apr 1900
Bird, Private Bernard Martin	D Coy
Blight, Private Walter Stansfield	G Coy	Died of Enteric Fever 15 Apr 1900
Cozzens, Private Harry Alex	F Coy	Also 2nd Contingent, 3rd CMR*
Dixon, Sergeant Harold Wm A	H Coy
Eakins, Private George R	D Coy
Ellis, Private George Spencer	G Coy
Hector, Private Frederick Thomas D	E Coy
Hewitt, Sergeant William Hamilton	H Coy
Hoskins, Corporal Ralph Wyatt	H Coy
Igelstrom, Private Fred Walker	J Coy
Jackson, Private Charles Ernest E [1]		KIA at Paardeberg 18 Feb 1900
Jordan, Corporal Joseph	A Coy	WIA near Johannesburg 29 May 1900
Jordan, Private James		2nd Contingent, Royal Canadian Dragoons
Kennedy, Private James	A Coy	WIA at Paardeberg 18 Feb 1900
Kidner, Private Reginald William	A Coy	WIA at Paardeberg 20 Feb 1900
McGiverin, Private William Lorimer	J Coy	WIA at Paardeberg 18 Feb 1900
Playfair, Private Stuart Bryce		2nd Contingent 6th CMR
Redway, Private Edgar Henry	A Coy
Rooke, Private William James	G Coy	WIA
Seager, Private John	A Coy	Also 2nd Contingent, 6th CMR
Stewart, Private Malcolm MacKenzie	J Coy	WIA at Paardeberg 18 Feb 1900
Tomlinson, Private Charles	F Coy
Ussher, Private John Fredrick H	I Coy	WIA at Paardeberg 18 Feb 1900
Vanderwater, Private Wm Maurice		WIA at Paardeberg 18 Feb 1900
Ward, Private Sherwell Maswood	F Coy	WIA at Paardeberg 18 Feb 1900
Weir, Private Frederick Eugene	F Coy
Williams, Bugler Douglas Frank	Bugles	Also 1902 Contingent, 2nd CMR
Wilson, Private Norman Waring	G Coy
Young, Private Henry	F Coy
Young, Private Robert Malcom	F Coy

Notes:

CMR is Canadian Mounted Rifles,

WIA is Wounded in action

[1] Jackson, a member of the Queen’s Own, tried to enlist with the contingent for South Africa but was rejected because his arm didn’t show any vaccination marks. Somehow though he was able to enlist after joining the Haldimand Battalion.