The Canadian Scouts' dashing leader, Major "Gat" Howard, and his aide Sgt Northway also died on On 17 February 1901 under controversial circumstances, some accounts claiming they were decoyed and ambushed and then the wounded Howard was recognized and executed by the Boers. Sgt Douglas's death does not appear to have been linked to this event, although that day, the Scouts, all veterans of other Canadian units, were "scouting an extraordinarily difficult hilly country with valleys and deep gorges made more difficult by a persistent mist when they encountered a party of Boer sharpshooters." All the scouts had been given increased pay and the rank of sergeant as an inducewment to remain in South Africa when their former units went home. By January 1901, the hard drinking hard fighting Howard's Canadian Scouts had enlisted 88 Canadian veterans, 55 from the RCFA, 18 from the CMR and 15 from the RCD. They were the most seasoned of the Canadian veterans. Each man was given a generous kit allowance, three horses and carried two long Colt .45 cal. single-action revolvers and a carbine.The unit was also equipped with 6 Colt machine-guns and a Maxim pom-pom. A Maple leaf bearing three chevrons was their capbadge. At least four were awarded the DSO for their service. Although the Canadian Government had nothing to do with the unit's creation, it is always listed as a Canadian unit.
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