First Nations Soldiers, October 1914 (Armada Memorial)

On 14th October 1914, two months after the start of the First World War, the First Contingent of Canadian troops arrived at Plymouth. Their presence at the port was somewhat unexpected; the ships' intended destination had been Southampton but concerns about U-boat activity resulted in a detour. Despite the surprise, "cheering crowds welcomed the Canadians with the utmost enthusiasm...Crowds of people lined the Hoe and piers, while others went out in boats and heartily cheered the ships as they passed" (London Times).

Among the arrivals were Indigenous North American soldiers, including Francis Pegahmagabow from the Wasauksing First Nation and several from the Six Nations Reserve, such as Cameron D. Brant, Alfred Styres, Nathan F. Montour, Frank Weaver Montour, and Albert Crain. Over 4,000 Indigenous North American men enlisted in the Canadian forces but the exact number is hard to calculate. In Canada, Indian Affairs lists rarely included Métis, Inuit and non-status Indians (those who belonged to a nation who had not signed a treaty with the government). As Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada has noted, however, these Indigenous soldiers were a significant asset. They had various reasons for enlisting, including economic opportunity and patriotism, yet many also thought that their service might help accomplish justice for their nations and communities.

Alfred Styres, who served with the 4th Battalion and arrived in Plymouth on the SS Tyrolia, was regularly heralded for his enlistment story, although it's unclear how much was exaggerated for publicity purposes. According to F. Douglas Reville in his History of the County of Brant, Styres, a farmer, heard of the recruitment drive while he was halfway through harvesting his oat field. Nevertheless, he "decided his duty was elsewhere, so he turned about, called on a neighbor, arranged for the harvesting of his crops and care of his stock, walked to Hagersville and enlisted."

After disembarking in Plymouth, each of the men quickly headed to Salisbury Plain for training. For Francis Pegahmagabow, serving with the 1st Battalion, this was less than ideal. One of the most decorated Indigenous soldiers in Canadian military history, he was born in 1889 on the Shawanaga First Nation reserve in Ontario. He volunteered for the Canadian Expeditionary Force almost as soon as war was declared in 1914 and found himself at Friary Station (close to the Friary Retail Park) in the early hours of 19th October on his way to the training camp. Parry Sound Indian agent Duncan Fraser Macdonald described a letter he received from Pegahmagabow shortly afterwards: "I had a letter from Francis Pegamaga [sic] at Salisbury Camp. He is getting tired waiting for to get away to try his hand at shooting. He may thank his lucky stars that he is where he is at present. Well, it's rough and will be rougher before it is quieted down." Pegahmagabow soon got his wish. He was deployed to the Western Front in 1915 and fought in some of its most infamous battles, including Ypres, the Somme, and Passchendaele, earning a reputation as a deadly sniper. On his return to Canada at the end of the war, Pegahmagabow became an Indigenous rights activist and a leader of his nation, serving as chief from 1921-1925.

Another famous Indigenous soldier who arrived at Plymouth was Cameron D. Brant, a descendant of the famous Mohawk leader Thayendanegea (Joseph Brant). He served in the 4th Battalion with the other Six Nations men listed above and his time in Plymouth was short. They disembarked on 23rd October and left Plymouth by train the next day. Like Pegahmagabow, these men all found themselves at the front in 1915 and served in some of the major battles. Styres, for example, was injured in June 1916 at Ypres, spending five months at a war hospital in Newcastle before being declared permanently unfit as a result of his injuries and discharged in 1917. Brant, a popular officer, was not so lucky. He was the first Six Nations soldier killed in action during the conflict, dying in a charge on the German trenches at Ypres in April 1916.