The legion of frontiersmen were established by a captain roger pocock who was born in england but went to canada and served with the north west later royal canadian mounted police in the 1880s. Several impatient members of the winnipeg legion of frontiersmen turned up in london on the chance of being included in an early draft for france. The legion of frontiersmen is a patriotic organisation formed in britain in 1905 and designed to bolster the defensive capacity of the british empire. Lieutenant colonel daniel driscoll volunteered the service of his unit of a hundred frontiersmen, envisaging their employment on the western front as behindthelines raiders. The history of the legion of frontiersmen with particular reference to the legion of frontiersmen. The legion of frontiersmen was formed in 1904 for fellowship and service to the state at any time of need. Based in moose jaw, saskatchewan, the unit was raised by the local legion of frontiersmen in early 1916 in that city and surrounding district. Cushny had forwarded the notes to the south african national museum of military history, shortly after his death. The legion of frontiersmen was founded in 1904 by an english army captain pocock and the organization was, at that time, recognized by the then war office as an intelligence unit associated with the armed forces. These frontiersmen are the subjects of allan eckerts dramatic history. Photo provided by legion of frontiersmen legion cadet corps aust command 225 bn. That task has not been made easy as frontiersmen over their 110 year history. The legion of frontiersmen is home to many unproved and usually unprovable stories. Long outofprint, copies command steep prices in the antiquarian book.
Dowds 1951 history booklet not only were frontiersmen from winnipeg, canada, making their way to valcartier camp, but according to the dundee courier. Geoff pocock has done a brilliant job in presenting the information available as a readable history, credit should surely go to him and to all the members of the legion of frontiersmen past and present and also to the publishers for their foresight in publishing this book. After sailing to england in april 1917, the battalion was absorbed into the 19th reserve battalion on april 22, 1917. From the very start, the legion of frontiersmen had a strong ethos of loyalty, duty and service to crown and country. The research cited in the frontiersman is so extensive. Welcome to the website of countess mountbattens own legion of frontiersmen. This is not a forum for general discussion of the articles subject put new text under old text. Units in the united kingdom countess mountbattens own. Commonwealth headquarters are the command and control centre for countess mountbattens own legion of frontiersmen world wide. The independent overseas command is a member of the united nations association. The frontiersmen historian website and blog page 3. There are detailed accounts of members achievements, especially in world war one in which, of new zealand v. The legion of frontiersmen was formed in london in 1904, and management of this world wide organisation has always remained in the united kingdom city of london and colour squadron. See also the history of the legion of frontiersmen, with particular reference to canadian division, privately published, regina, c 1980 96, and r.
Click here to start a new topic please sign and date your posts by typing four tildes new to wikipedia. Countess mountbattens own frontiersmen is a voluntary uniformed reserve force. The following is from ray westlakes book, kitchener army, 25th battalion royal fusiliers city of london regiment frontiersmen this battalion was formed by the legion of frontiersmen, a self governing military organisation which had been in existence since 1904, with branches throughout the empire and british isles, and offered its services on the outbreak of war in 1914. As the matters are of interest, the notes have been broken up into. Soldiers of the empire history of the new zealand command legion of frontiersmen legion.
Welcome to everyone who has managed to make the trip to whangarei for this 2015 conference. Many legion archives and assets have vanished over the years during the moves of headquarters. The frontiersmen s cooperation with the british legion carried on for many years, as can be seen from the photograph showing the frontiersmen bearing standards lining the front of the stage at the british legion festival of remembrance at the albert hall in 1936. Followers of this website will know that the legion of frontiersmen has by its nature attracted many strange tales and not a few myths. This book is the first comprehensive account of the cultural and racial origins of the. Many was the story they could, and sometimes did, tell of their adventures in lands where you could travel great distances without encountering another human being. A late frontiersman who joined the colour squadron in 1957 recalled reading through the minutes book of headquarters meetings going right back to the founding days. Enlisted into the legion of frontiersmen new zealand command p troop in 1996. The legion of frontiersmen was founded in britain in 1904 and was a movement designed to attract and use men whose experience reflected active military service, hunting, roughing it and exploring in wild places. Bristol male voice choir, gurt winter concert 2012, the colston hall duration. This is the talk page for discussing improvements to the legion of frontiersmen article. The legion of frontiersmen is a voluntary service formed in britain in 1905 by roger pocock, a former constable with the northwest mounted police and boer war veteran prompted by fears of an impending invasion of britain and the empire, the organisation was founded to be a field intelligence corps on a romanticised conception of the frontier and imperial idealism. The frontiersmans pocketbook bruce peel special collections roger pocock on.
In 1909 he published the frontiersmans pocketbook, the list of contributors including some of the wellknown names, a number of whom were members of the legion of frontiersmen, others specialist in their field but all determined to support the empire in its time of need. Countess mountbattens own legion of frontiersmen registered charity no. History of the frontiersmen australian division new zealand command nz command pro. I confess i am a constitutional monarchist, and i am too old to conceal my.
Legion of frontiersmen, independent command canada. The legion of frontiersmen, founded in 1904 by a quixotic writer and adventurer. Published on behalf of the council of the legion of frontiersmen by legion of frontiersmen. Its proud, unique history and military background combine well with its present skills and experience, providing local communities with a welltrained and disciplined body of men and women dedicated to serving the community whenever called upon to do so. In the field of military history, this investigation has produced histories.
The 210th frontiersmen battalion, cef was a unit in the canadian expeditionary force during the first world war. Featherstonhaugh, the royal canadian mounted police, garden city, 1940 245249. Welcome to the h all o f h onor of the 6th parachute regiment lf. He was later to go to the united state where he became a boundary rider, trapper, explorer and seaman. The legion of frontiersmen was formed in london in 1904, and management of this world wide organisation has always remained in the united kingdom. Pocock, has written two books in connection with the frontiersmen, one hundred years of the legion of frontiersmen, and his biography of the founder of the legion, outrider of empire. In february 1915 he formed the 25th battalion of the royal fusiliers with many recruits from the legion of frontiersmen. If you are a seller for this product, would you like to suggest updates through seller support. This loyalty was put to the test 10 years after the legion s formation, in the first world war. Legion of frontiersmen new zealand command new zealand medals and awards over the many years of the existence of the legion of frontiersmen, there has not been a great deal of service recognition except for the original long service and efficiency medal and meritorious service medals. The legion of frontiersmen is a voluntary service formed in britain in 1905 by roger pocock. Significantly, roger did not ask daniel driscoll to contribute to his pocketbook, despite driscoll having been significantly involved in recruiting for the legion and his own frontier experiences including.
The city of london and colour squadron maintains the colours for the countess mountbattens own legion of frontiersmen, and attends all the ceremonials as the. More than a mere historic curiosity, the frontiersmans pocketbook remains a. The legion of frontiersmen gb is affiliated to the civil defence association cda and is part of the international frontiersmen network, the legion of frontiersmen independent overseas command ioc. The legion of frontiersmen new zealand command, unofficial website. The countess mountbattens own legion of frontiersmen was conceived and organized.
The demise of the legion of frontiersmen in africa south african. Legion of frontiersmen and the frontier homestead region of lac ste. Formed in 1927, the new command of the legion of frontiersmen started with the officers and men of the 25th battalion royal frontiersmen fusiliers. The independent overseas command is registered in london 89923. We have tried to resolve the mysteries and stories in a constant search for the truth. Legion of frontiersmen 12409 67 st nw edmonton, ab.
If you are interested in joining the legion, please contact the legion adjutant, email andy. The frontiersmans pocketbook bruce peel special collections. Indeed, frontiersmen were among the very first britons to go into battle against germany in 1914. Prompted by prewar fears of a pending invasion of britain, the organisation was founded on a romanticized conception of the fronti. Legion of frontiersmen soldiers and their units great. The pro patria project is to be an ongoing new zealand military history initiative being undertaken by p troop fm mike subritzky, and e squadron lt mike smith of the legion of frontiersmen. Books production date 1971 creator legion of frontiersmen canadian division headquarters author history of the legion of frontiersmen with particular reference to the legion of frontiersmen canadian division author legion of frontiersmen publisher imperial war museums home connect with iwm. The frontiersmans pocketbook university of alberta press.
The legion of frontiersmen canadian division regulations and. Behobeho east africa 1915 1917 nyangao kilimanjaro great war 1917 belgium 1914 18. The early legion of frontiersmen reflected kiplings poem the lost legion and these largely unknown frontiersmen have both an honourable and a colourful early history. The legion of frontiersmen canadian division regulations and orders. The frontiersmen historian website and blog page 2. The countess mountbattens own legion of frontiersmen was conceived and organized in 1905 as a body of frontier sentinels, and they first published the frontiersmans pocket book in 1909 as their training and survival manual. The legion of frontiersmen heroes who have seen service in n every part of our empire, receive new colour from sir p. The legion of frontiersmen is a paramilitary group formed in britain in 1905 by roger pocock, a former constable with the northwest mounted. Throughout its history the legion of frontiersmen has attracted countless men, and more than a few women, whose travels had taken them all over the world. They cover diverse topics from the long history of the legion of frontiersmen.
824 253 513 535 556 1063 42 446 251 1477 248 753 1252 657 254 309 133 1174 1440 1179 1501 1477 1086 1445 568 221 575 1193 864 1388 1207 1146 62 98