Like so many others swept up in the excitement and patriotism that the First World War (1914-1918) initially brought on, young Black Canadians were eager to serve their country. Indeed, one such man, William Hall, would earn the Victoria Cross (the highest award for military valour) for his brave actions in India in 1857. In all, approximately 1,000 Black militia men fighting in five companies helped put down the uprising, taking part in some of the most important incidents such as the Battle of Toronto.īlack volunteers also served with British forces farther away from home, including in the Royal Navy. Black soldiers also played an important role in the Upper Canadian Rebellion (1837–1839). Black militia members also fought in many other significant battles during the war, helping drive back the American forces. A number of volunteers were organized into the "Company of Coloured Men," which played an important role in the Battle of Queenston Heights. This tradition of military service did not end there, with some Black soldiers seeing action in the War of 1812, helping defend Upper Canada against American attacks. American slaves had been offered freedom and land if they agreed to fight in the British cause and thousands seized this opportunity to build a new life in British North America. Indeed, many Black Canadians can trace their family roots to Loyalists who emigrated North in the 1780s after the American Revolutionary War. The tradition of military service by Black Canadians goes back long before Confederation.
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