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I have just obtained a number of the Canadian War Diaries in Abbreviated format which as I retype them I will post them here..... They are not in great condition and run from 5 to 20 pages long..... This is one of the shorter ones so I posted it first...... They were made up in three columns with the Date - Event - Remarks.....

I hope that they are of some use or help to you......

Mike

1900
January 27th / Sailed from Halifax / Nil

February 26th / Arrived Cape Town S.A. / Nil

February 28th / Disembarked Cape Town, Battalion remained Cape Town 9 Days / Nil

March 8th and 9th / Battalion proceeded by rail to Victoria West Road and by route march to Carnarvon / Battalion became part of Carnarvon Field Force under Sir Charles Parsons

March 20th / Lieut. Col. Herchemer invalided, Howe taking over command of the Battalion / Nil

April 14th / Battalion reached the De Aar then from De Aar by rail to Norval's Pont route march to Bloemfontein / Battalion marched 700 miles with Carnarvon Field Force. / This distance is also applicable to “D” and “E” Battery Canadian Field Artillery

April 29th / Reached Bloemfontein. Embodied in 1st Mounted Infantry Corps of the 1st Mounted Infantry Brigade under Major General Hutton / Nil

May 4th / “D” Squadron joined the Brigade / Nil

May 5th / Lieutenant Colonel Evans took command of Battalion, Advanced from Bloemfontein to:
Kroonstadt, Brandfort, Constantia Siding, Vett River to Zand River / Nil

May 10th / Zand River, “A” Squadron of 2 Troops “C” and “D” Squadron under Captain A.C. Macdonell. After a hard day's fighting and 15 hours in the saddle marched at 1:30 p.m. Through the enemy's lines and blew up an important culvert near Smaldeel Junction and rejoined the Brigade safely in the morning / M.I.D. For Capt. Macdonell

May 12th - 20th / Brigade rested at Kroonstadt during which period Lieutenant Chalmers, with 50 men took part in Colonel Alderson's night ride to Bothaville where several important prisoners were captured / Nil

May 20th / General advance continued, Hutton's Brigade acting in conjunction with French's column on the left flank of the whole line // Nil

May 28th and 29th / Battalion took part in fighting at Klipriversberg ( near Johannesburg ), Battalion on 29th covered the withdrawal of the 1st Mounted Infantry Brigade while General French was making his turning movement ( General Hutton complimented Battalion ). / Nil

June 3rd / Battalion took part in the fight at Crocodile River near Pretoria. / Nil

June 6th / Brigade marched through Pretoria, Rested / Nil

June 9th / Continued advance taking part in the two days fighting at Diamond Hill. Both squadrons under severe and continuous shell and rifle fire for 10 hours each day / Nil

June 14th / Brigade returned to Pretoria and detailed for Line of Communications duties ( at request of Commander in Chief ) between Vereeniging and Kroonstadt, at which time were being threatened by De Wet. / Nil

June 15th to July 15th / Line of Communications Duties, Battalion broken into detachments, stationed at most vulnerable points on the line. De Wet's attack at Katbosch near Horning Spruit. Corporal Morden, Corporal Miles, Privates Kerr and Miles gallant stand against 50 enemy ( Published in Canadian General Orders ) ( 2 Killed ) Lieutenant Chalmers and Corporal Callaghan commended by Smith-Dorrien for smart and aggressive scouting / De Wet 1,000 men and several guns attacked Two Companies Shropshire's 50 men 1 CMR/RCD – Lieutenant Davidson – Battalion marched more than 500 miles.

July 12th / Battalion reached Irene near Pretoria and after securing badly needed remounts and clothing and marched to Rietvlei where it rejoined Brigade / Nil

July 16th / Participated in the engagement at Witpoort / Nil

July 23rd / Marched with general advance towards Middleburg and came in contact with enemy rearguard / Nil

July 24th / In contact with enemy rearguard / Nil

July 27th / Entered Middleburg / Nil

July 27th to November 22nd / Battalion broken up into detachments divided between Middleburg and Belfast. Always in touch with large number of the enemy. Performing outpost duties arduous and harassing nature. / Nil

September 5th / Night attack by Dirkson's Commands with two guns on Nooitgedacht. ( Held by Major Sanders and 100 men, 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles ) This attack made at daybreak, was beaten off in a creditable manner before assistance arrived. / Mentioned in Dispatches by Commander in Chief.

November 2nd / Engagement near Belfast, Advance guard of column consisting of Major Sanders and 50 NCO's and men. Advance party under command Lieutenant Chalmers. Advanced party attacked by large numbers of the enemy ( Chalmers killed while attempting to bring in Major Samders ). / Mentioned in Dispatches by Commander in Chief.

November 6th / Engagement at Koomati River, Belfast Detachment to a leading part. / Work performed Mentioned in Dispatches, Canadian Mounted Rifles formed part of the main column of Smith Dorrien's Command.

November 7th / Participated in the Rear Guard action at Lillifontein. Came to the assistance of the Royal Canadian Dragoon's and held Boer force (300 men) in the riverbed in conjunction with two guns 84th Battery / Nil

Final Three Months Service / Battalion Headquarters Scouts, principal ones Corporal T. Callaghan, Privates J. Davis, Leggatt and Harris made an excellent record for clever and useful work. All ranks developed a capacity to fight the Boers using Boer tactics and were equal to the enemy at their own game. / Nil

December 3rd / Battalion concentrated at Pretoria for entrained for Cape Town / Nil

December 11th / Arrived Maitland Camp / Nil

December 13th / Embarked for Canada on the Roslin Castle..Battalion took part in 15 general engagements, 7 important engagements and 6 minor engagements. Battalion marched about 2,600 miles. Casualties in the field 5 Killed in Action, 22 Wounded, 16 Missing ( all rejoined ). 70 Officers and Men were invalided to England after Pretoria about 200 effectives were with the Battalion out of a strength of 371. ( The Battalion, in proportion to establishment, was far the strongest in the Brigade. ) 7 Deaths by Disease.

NOTE: Numberous cases of enteric broke out on board ship ( a small portion belong to 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles. Canadian Nursing Sisters and hospital accommodation proved a great boon in this emergency. ) / Lieutenant Sutton and Sergeant Inglis died.


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Lieutenant Colonel T. D. B. Evans, C.B. And MID 04-02-01

Major J. E. Sanders, D.S.O., 09-04-01

Captains: A.C. MacDonald, D.S.O., MID 04-02-01
H. E. Burstall, Medical Officer, MID Roberts Final
(While with R.C.R.)

Lieutenants: H. Davidson, MID, Meritorious Service, 04-02-01
A.L. Howard, D.S.O., MID, Meritorious Service ( Major – KIA – Canadian Scouts)
W. M. Inglis, MID, Meritorious Service, 04-02-01
F. Young, MID, Meritorious Service, 04-02-01
H. L. Bown, (Killed in Action), MID, 09-04-01
H.L. Borden, (Killed in Action), MID, 05-08-01, (Should be RCD)
T.W. Chalmers, (Killed in Action), MID, “Brought to notice for Gallantry in action
and for stubborn fighting” 03-08-01 (Should be Captain).

Regimental Sergeant Major F. Church, MID, Meritorious Service, 04-02-01

Sergeant: R.H. Ryan, MID, Meritorious Service, 04-02-01
N.D. Builder, MID, Killed while bringing in guns near Belfast ( with RCD)

Corporals:
T. Callaghan, MID, Meritorious Service, D.C.M., Later Commissioned in
Canadian Scouts
T. R. Miles, MID, Meritorious Service, D.S.M., Promoted Sergeant
F.M. Whitlow, MID, Meritorious Service, (with RCD)
J.F. Morden, MID, 04-07-00, Killed whilst on outpost duty with 5 men holding off
large body of the enemy.

Troopers/Privates:
A.W.V. Crawley, MID, Meritorious Service, D.C.M., 04-02-01 Promoted Sergeant.
T. Kerr, MID, Meritorious Service, 04-02-01, Killed in Action
W.H. Hammond, MID, Meritorious Service, 04-02-01
H.V. Miles, MID, Meritorious Service, 04-02-01
A.S. Waite, MID, Meritorious Service, DCM, 04-02-01
G.F. Waldie, MID, Roberts Final Rec.
S.T. St.G. Carey, Roberts Final Rec. (Lieutenant, Imperial Yeomanry) also served
with Strathcona's Horse
S.E. Morrison, MID, Meritorious Service, 04-02-01