Boer War Artifacts in the Museum Collection

Boer War Declaration

This certificate was presented to four Sarnia men who fought during the Boer War overseas in South Africa. The document celebrates Canadian patriotism and the part Canada played in supporting the British Empire. The war was popularly imagined as a war for civilization, and the men who returned from the conflict were celebrated as heroes. A watch and chain were presented to each man as a token of thanks on Christmas day, 1900 by Sarnia’s Mayor.

John Pardee Medals

John Pardee was born in Sarnia on April 12, 1871, the son of Timothy Blair (a barrister) and Emma Kerby Forsyth. His name appears last on the Sarnia declaration as Private John Blair Pardee. John enlisted on March 10, 1900 in Toronto and travelled to South Africa with the Royal Canadian Regiment.

The Queen's South Africa Medal (left) has he three bars attached to tell us something about John’s service overseas. The bottom Cape Colony bar for example was given to troops serving in Cape Colony between 11 October 1899 and 31 May 1902. The middle the Free State bar was awarded to troops serving in the Orange River Colony any time from 28th of February 1900 to the 21st May 1902.

The Toronto Welcomes Her Sons medal, 1900 (right).

27th Lambton Battalion archival collection

The Lambton Heritage Museum is home to a variety of photographs, prints and documents that capture the history of the 27th Battalion. The left photograph depicts Egbert Coultis of Thedford, Ontario. A young man when this photo was taken, Egbert holds a helmet very much like the one shown below. The right postcard captures the 27th Battalion band at camp on Carling Heights, London, in 1910.

27th Lambton Battalion helmet (Oil Museum of Canada)

This British Foreign Service helmet belonged to Col. Charles Fisher of the 27^th Battalion, Lambton. The style of pith helmet shown here was common for British soldiers during the Boer War. Its white colouring and large design helped keep the sun and heat away from soldiers’ heads while in hot climates such as Africa.

Frederick Gorman Medals, Batallion Pin, and Identification Tag

As a young man Frederick Gorman was a member of the 27th Battalion band. Later he joined the 27th Battalion and their 7th Company. Frederick enlisted in the Royal Canadian Regiment on October 21, 1899 in London, Ontario for service in the Boer War and was one of the first volunteers to leave Sarnia. On return to Sarnia from South Africa he rejoined the 7th Company. After retiring from the Battalion in 1913 as a Major, Frederick re-enlisted and served in the First World War. There he met and married Fannie Clark Gorman, who served as a nurse at Camp Borden, Ontario. The Gorman’s resided on Sarnia’s Vidal Street and Frederick became a member of the Customs and Excise Department, stationed at the Imperial Oil Refinery. He was a resident of Sarnia for 70 years and upon his death in 1941 was given a full military burial at Lakeview Cemetery.