Nile Voyageurs

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.