Great photo. My understanding is that Robert Baden-Powell was exposed by Canadian troops to the Montana Peak Stetson during his time in South Africa during the Boer War, leading to his later adoption of that headgear for Boy Scouts. I assume that was the mounted infantry you refer to? Do you have any photos of them?
Thanks, TB! Did you follow the link I posted, to see the other photos? (There are about 30 or so .....)
Yes, indeed, Baden Powell was quite enamored of the peaked stetson, which was worn by almost all other Canadian units who served in South Africa
other than the Royal Canadian Regiment. The other troops supplied by Canada included a brigade of Artillery, Strathcona's Horse, the Royal Canadian Dragoons, and six regiments of Canadian Mounted Rifles (although only the 1st and 2nd CMR actually saw action ..... the 3rd through 6th CMR didn't actually arrive in South Africa until after the final Boer surrender in 1902. Over 1,000 Canadians enrolled in the South African Constabulary, however.)
Baden Powell first adopted it as the official headgear of the South African Constabulary, which he was tasked with setting up ..... and then, of course, for the Boy Scouts ..... Matter of fact, here is one well-known portrait of him taken during the Boer War, but after he became a British national hero following the Siege of Mafeking. (I suspect it actually dates to when he was in command of the South African Constabulary.) -
A few images of other Canadian servicemen in the Boer War -
First, a reconstruction of a Canadian Mounted Rifles Trooper by Canadian military artist Ron Volstad -
Strathcona's Horse troopers -
1st Canadian Mounted Rifles -
Trooper, 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles -
2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles patrolling -
5th Canadian Mounted Rifles, church parade in Durban, South Africa -
Canadian artillery -
Various other shots of Canadian mounted troops -
Finally, a period print depicting the surrender of Boer General Botha to Canadian troops, 1900 ..... and a detail from the print -