Oral History Interview - General John Smith Stewart (1/3) - Collections

Scope and Content: Side A (last third of tape is blank) - Enlisted in the Lord Stathcona Horse Regiment and served in Boer War. - Home life: taught loyality to the throne and British Empire. One of 5 sons, three of which fought in the war. - Lord Strathcona Horse Regiment: all the men who served were from western Can…

Scope and Content: Side A (last third of tape is blank) - Enlisted in the Lord Stathcona Horse Regiment and served in Boer War. - Home life: taught loyality to the throne and British Empire. One of 5 sons, three of which fought in the war. - Lord Strathcona Horse Regiment: all the men who served were from western Canada. He was recruited in Edmonton, Dec 1899. - Joining the regiment changed the course of his life. His commanding officer, who he held in very high esteem, was Colonel Sam Steele. - 480-500 Regimentalhorses were purchased in western Canada. - Troop consisted of 32 men which was broken down into 8 squadrons of 4 men. Stewart's squadron was headed by Percy Henry Tucker. Steward and Tucker remained life long friends. Biographical information about Tucker. - Biographical information about Stewart's father. - Regiment went from Edmonton to Calgary, then to Ottawa, and in March 1900 to Halifax. On Mar 17 the group left by steamship to Africa, disembarking at Cape Town. SideB (last half of tape is blank) - Horses suffered hardships on the boat. Trip took about 26 days. - Arrival in Cape Town, military training while there, and general information about the time spent in Cape Town. Hardships included dysentry, water shortages, crabs, lice and ticks. - First experience with enemy fire occurred in June 1900 near Standarton.