The Nile Voyageurs were a force of Canadian volunteers who served in the Sudan with British forces as part of the Nile Expedition from 1884 to 1885. Though they were civilian volunteers, serving as boatmen for the British Army, they can be considered Canada’s first overseas contingent of war volunteers.
16 voyageurs died on active service during the campaign, and as Canada’s first overseas casualties they are commemorated in the Book of Remembrance in Ottawa.
+ Nile Expedition Roll of Honour1884 – 1885 Soldier Casualty Date of casualty Richard Burgess Died of disease September 26, 1884 Louis Capitaine Drowned near Semneh October 30, 1884 John Morris Drowned November 16, 1884 Michael Brennan Died of dysentery November 21, 1884 George Fletcher Drowned near Ambigoll November 23, 1884 John Edward Faulkner Died from drowning November 29, 1884 William Doyle Drowned near Ambigoll December 13, 1884 Solomon Bigneault Died of small-pox December 17, 1884 Leon Chatelain Drowned near Semneh December 18, 1884 Alexander Michael Armstrong Died of fever January 3, 1885 William James O’Rourke Died in train accident February 4, 1885 Leon Pilon Died in train accident February 4, 1885 John Andrew Sherlock Died of disease March 26, 1885 Patrick Leonard Died from enteric fever April 10, 1885 Daniel McLean Died of disease April 16, 1885 Col. William Nassau Kennedy Died from small-pox May 3, 1885
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