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The Dawson Rifles of Canada
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The Dawson
Rifles of Canada was
an infantry regiment of the Canadian Militia in the 20th
Century; it was disbanded in 1905. In actuality the Dawson
Rifles numbered a company and were usually referred to as
the Dawson Rifle Company.
Lineage
The Victoria Daily Colonist
reported on 15 April 1902:
According to advices from
Dawson, the organization of the Dawson Rifle company has
been completed, and the northern militiamen will soon
commence drilling. The company comprises 42 men besides
the captain and two lieutenants. ...The Lee Enfield
rifle and the Oliver equipment has been provided by the
government. The Oliver equipment is the latest and most
approved, and includes sidearms, knapsacks, belts and
all such. The coat is scarlet with blue facings,
handsomely trimmed, and ornamented with bright military
buttons, and the head dress a jaunty little field
service cap of dark blue.2
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The
Dawson Rifles of Canada |
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Headquarters:
Dawson City, YT
Predecessor: None
Perpetuates: None
Raised: 1 July 1900
Disbanded: 2 November 1905 |
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| History
The Yukon Field Force was a
military presence established in the Yukon Territories in
1898 as a response the gold rush and the sudden influx of
thousands of gold-seekers, many who were Americans,
and a desire that they seek their fortunes with a minimum of
disruption. The Northwest Mounted Police played a
significant role in the area but the federal government in
Ottawa worried during the 1897/98 winter that they would be
insufficient to deal with a new influx of "aliens" in the
spring of 1898. The decision was made to send 200 soldiers -
at that time, a quarter of Canada's full-time Militia - to
the Yukon. Opposition to the cost was met with the news that
the U.S. Army had four companies established in neighbouring
Alaska.
The resulting
dispatch of the Yukon Field Force was anti-climactic - they
performed no military duties, and did not arrive until
September 1898. The main force went to Fort Selkirk and one
detachment numbering two officers, 50 men and a Maxim gun
was earmarked for the centre of the gold fields: Dawson
City. They arrived on 1 October after a gruelling march from
the mouth of the Stikine River through swamps, forests,
rocks, rain, and insects. On arrival in Dawson they became
garrison soldiers and assisted the police and customs
department. A year later, in September 1899, the Yukon Field
Force headquarters transferred to Dawson City, and the force
was cut in half, being renamed the Yukon Garrison on 8
January 1900. Later that year the rest of the garrison was
withdrawn.3 |
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In July, the
Dawson Rifles of Canada was established as part of the
Non-Permanent Active Militia (Canada's traditional part-time
military) to take the place of the Yukon Field Force.
It
could be argued that it was unnecessary to reinforce the
mounted police with a military force, despite the
disorder and lawlessness which had prevailed among gold
miners in the neighbouring U.S. territory of
Alaska...But others could argue the army's presence in
the north made it apparent to everyone - including
wild-eyed gold seekers in Alaska - that Canada was not
prepared to let the Yukon go.4
A major event
for the company was the coronation of King Edward VII.
Edward ascended the throne in 1901 on the death of Queen
Victoria, and the coronation originally scheduled for the
summer of 1902 was delayed by an attack of appendicitis
until 9 August 1902. Representatives of all the Canadian
regiments were sent to the United Kingdom, including two
from the Dawson Rifles. The day was also marked by the
dedication of Dawson City's new St. Paul's church. The
Dawson Rifles attended the event in dress uniform as part of
the guard of honour with the local Mounted Police.5
In March 1903
the Dawson Nugget reported that Captain Hulme had secured
the use of the "A.B. hall" for drilling purposes, and
regular drills began in April 1903. At that time the company
boasted 42 members. The unit was required to drill 24 times
a year, with 12 in the spring and 12 in the autumn.6 |
Captain H.D. Hulme, The Dawson
Rifles of Canada. He wears the cap badge illustrated in
Mazeas with what appear to be standard brass Canadian
General Service buttons and an officers' cartridge belt. A
cap badge appears to also be worn on the cross belt.
City of Vancouver Archives photo AM54-S4-: Port P14
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Men of The Dawson Rifles of Canada.
The original caption noted the Dawson Rifles were raised by
Major Hulme (centre), and are shown here on Queen Victoria's
Birthday, 1902, at the NWMP quartermaster stores building in
Dawson City. Lieutenant William M. McKay is at left, Lieutenant
Richard L. Cowan at right. The uniforms are described as scarlet
serge tunics, black trousers with red piping, black boots and
Field Service Caps.
City of Vancouver Archives photo - click to enlarge
Battle Honours
None
Notable Members
 Herbert
D. Hulme was born in Belleville Ontario, and joined the Militia at
age 17, entering the 15th Battalion (Argyle Light Infantry) in 1885
and served in the Riel Rebellion. In 1888 he joined the
Queen's Own Rifles in Toronto and served there for ten years, as a
colour-sergeant and then commissioning as a lieutenant. He moved to
Dawson in 1898 and when the regular soldiers left the Yukon, he
raised the Dawson Rifle Company and commanded it in the rank of
captain.7 He was described as a "zealous soldier of
considerable experience and efficiency."8
In February 1904
Hulme moved to Vancouver and joined the 6th Regiment, Duke of
Connaught's Own Rifles, serving as Officer Commanding "A" Company,
adjutant, and in February 1905 and took command of "C" Company. A
number of junior officers waived their seniority in order that Hulme
would command "C" Company.9 He was appointed to the rank
of major in 1909 or 1910 and on 29 September 1913 took command of
the 6th D.C.O.R. with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. In civil life
he was a lawyer.10 Photo at right shows Hulme when he
command the 6th D.C.O.R. in 1915. He accepted command of a C.E.F.
Battalion, and helped organize the 62nd Battalion, taking it
overseas in the spring of 1916 with 1140 under command. The unit was
broken up for reinforcements and Hulme took command of the 1st
Reserve Battalion at Shorncliffe in the United Kingdom. In December
1920, Hulme left regimental life after more than 35 years of
service, having earned the colonial officers' long-service medal and
Queen's long service medal.11 He joined the staff of the
23rd Infantry Brigade, and in 1926 transferred to the reserve of
officers. He was elected president of the Vancouver Military
Institute the same year, and served for three years.
Lieutenant-Colonel Herbert D. Hulme, VD, died at St. Paul's Hospital
in Vancouver on 2 December 1937 at the age of 70.12
Also notable was Gerbrand V.W. Howard,
who joined the Canadian Bank of Commerce in 1895 and after service
in various branches, joined the military to serve in the Royal
Canadian Artillery in South Africa during the Boer War. He returned
to Canada with the Queen's Medal and three clasps, resuming his work
at the bank. He continued his association with the Militia, and
served with the Dawson Rifles from 1902 to 1905. He moved to London
as bullion clerk with the Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint. In 1914
he enlisted with the Sifton Machine Guns and served in the 1st Motor
Machine Gun Brigade in France and Flanders, returning to the Mint in
1917. His decorations included the 1914-15 Star, Victory Medal,
General Service medal, George V Silver Jubilee, George VI Coronation
Medal and the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration. In
1924 he was appointed accountant and assistant chief clerk at the
Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint in London, and was made chief clerk
and accountant in 1931. He moved to the Royal Canadian Mint a year
later, while serving as an officer in the Governor General's Foot
Guards as quartermaster, in the rank of captain from 1919 and major
in 1929. He retired from the military in December 1934 as a
lieutenant-colonel and from the Mint in 1942 after 10 years as
Secretary.13 He passed away in February 1958.14
Insignia
Cap Badge
The cap badge was approved by General Order 20 of 1903. The badge
was in the shape of a maple leaf, displaying a Tudor Crown surmounting a belt
of the order of the garter and scroll. On the scroll
was the Latin motto "USQUE AD BOREAM" ("Far to the North"). The belt
bore the unit's name "DAWSON RIFLES OF CANADA." Inside the
garter was a Yukon gold pan with miner's pick and shovel crossed in saltire.15
Notes
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Stewart, C.H. Concise Lineages
of The Canadian Army 1855 to Date suggests a disbandment
date of 1920. Regiments and Corps of the Canadian Army
gives a date of 2 November 1905. Regiments and Corps also refers
to this unit as "Dawson Rifle Company" indicating it was not of
regimental status, despite the insignia. The Province
(Vancouver) reported on 16 Dec 1905 that "the Dawson Rifle
Company has been disbanded."
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Thank you to Anthony F. Gero, a
Fellow of the Company of MIlitary Historians, for passing on
this clipping in an email to the author 25 Jul 2020.
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"Call out the Troops", The
Whitehorse Star, 19 Oct 1970
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"Forgotten Men: Army in north
deserves footnote in history", The Ottawa Citizen,
16 Apr 1973
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"A Day In Canada's History", Star
Phoenix, 9 Aug 1934
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The Daily Morning
Alaskan (Skagway, Alaska), 13 Mar 1903, p.2
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"Will Command New Infantry
Regiment", The Province (Vancouver), 12 Mar 1915
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The
Province (Vancouver), 10 Feb 1905
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The Province (Vancouver), 10 Feb
1905
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"Will Command New Infantry
Regiment", The Province (Vancouver), 12 Mar 1915
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"Colonel Hulme Leaves 6th D.C.O.R.",
The Province (Vancouver), 14 Dec 1920
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"Lt.Col Hulme, Pioneer, Dies",
The Vancouver Sun, 2 Dec 1937
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"Lieut. Col. Howard Retires as
Secretary of Canadian Mint", The Ottawa Journal,
24 Feb 1942
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"Former MInt Secretary G.V.W. Howard
Passes", The Ottawa Citizen, 10 Feb 1958
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The Gazette
(Montreal), 12 Feb 1903 p.10
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