Militia Chieftains: Profiling the Founders of the "Canadian Scottish"

Abstract

Little academic study has been conducted into the backgrounds of the men who chose to found regiments of Canadian militia in the pre-1914 period which were influenced on Scottish military traditions. This article seeks to redress the balance by profiling the backgrounds of the founders of the four militia regiments which contributed officers and men to the 16th Battalion, CEF in 1914. By examining key areas such as place of birth, ethnicity, wealth, religion, military experience, and political affiliation, the article shows the “types” of men who became involved in the formation of Scottish-themed militia regiments and highlights the importance of Scottish associational culture in the regiments’ establishment.