1

Dinner in the Tent lines
Circa 1916
Sussex, New Brunswick, Canada


Credits:
New Brunswick Provincial Archives - P148-24 / Four men holding tins of food; tents in background
Annual Report, Department of Militia and Defence of the Dominion of Canada

2

Church Parade
Circa 1910
Sussex, New Brunswick, Canada


Credits:
New Brunswick Provincial Archives - P46-57 / Church parade - Camp Sussex, NB
Annual Report, Department of Militia and Defence of the Dominion of Canada

3

The Bread Ovens
1915
Sussex, New Brunswick, Canada


Credits:
New Brunswick Provincial Archives - P46-41 / Bread ovens - Camp Sussex, NB circa 1915
Militia General Orders
Annual Report, Department of Militia and Defence of the Dominion of Canada

4

Abolution Tables, Trout Creek Embankment
Circa 1903
Sussex, New Brunswick, Canada


Credits:
New Brunswick Provincial Archives - P210-2606
Annual Report, Department of Militia and Defence of the Dominion of Canada

5

The Tent Lines
1890
Sussex, New Brunswick, Canada


Credits:
Gary Bowser
Annual Report, Department of Militia and Defence of the Dominion of Canada
Militia General Orders
Crook and Marteinson, A Pictorial History of the 8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise's)

6

The first available information on pay for soldiers comes from the Hussar History for the year 1876. Pay per day for a soldier started at 50 cents per day while his horse got 75 cents per day. One had to realize that this pay was not always available and often times the militia volunteers came to camps not expecting pay or provision of rations for that matter. Rates of pay had not increased greatly by the early 20th century. The pay records of the 74th Battalion in 1907 indicated that a soldiers daily pay was still set at 50 cents per day while a sergeant received 75 cents per day and a captain, three dollars per day. However at this time efficiency pay had been included in the pay scales and a soldier could actually double his pay to a dollar per day. Levels of efficiency pay were set at 20, 30, 40 or 50 cents per day and were available only to non-commissioned soldiers. The history of the New Brunswick Rangers tells us that on a number of years members of the Battalion volunteered to come to camp at half pay so that numbers of attendees could be doubled for the same amount of money available and this was happening as late as the mid 1930's. On one occasion they forfeited all their pay to cover the expenses of the camp.

The scale of issue for rations in 1869 was limited to bread, meat, potatoes, tea, coffee, salt, pepper and barley for soup. As related earlier this scale of issue was limited to 13 cents per day per soldier but by 1905 it was up to 25 cents per day. Also included in the scale of issue were one bell tent per ten men, and one blanket per man. This scale of issue was to last for over 30 years

Daily routine started at 5:30 am and the men did not eat until their horses had been fed and cleaned and was commonly referred to as "stables". Rations were drawn at 8:00 am and training for the day started at 8:30 am. Stables were conducted thrice daily and were always conducted before the men could eat themselves with supper being held 5:30 pm.
Lights out was after Last Post at 10:00 pm. Normally, both Reveille at 5:30 am and the Last Post at 10:00 pm were played by the unit bugler.

The amount of clothing and toiletries that could be brought to camp was also very limited. One must realize that even being in camp for 12 days, a soldier was only allowed 1 towel, 1 spare pair socks, one spare pair of drawers, 1 bar of soap and one pair of spare boots or shoes. Utensils were limited to one knife, fork and spoon set and one tin cup.

One item issued in the Camp Orders dated 09 June 1911, related to the care of drinking water supplies being drawn from Trout Creek. Therefore it was prohibited to use Trout Creek for swimming above the cavalry and artillery lines at any time.

Directions for picketing horses was distributed to all men including instructions 1903 on how to secure a horse fore and aft using their picket pin. More importantly they were instructed not to pass the horses over ground that will be used for tents. It was also noted that tents were not to be disfigured by writing or otherwise. All men were to be personally advised of this.

It was also noted in 1904 that the new canvas latrines were most unsatisfactory and that wooden latrines were to constructed when ever possible. And all riders were advised to supervise their own blacksmith work as it appears that the local contracted smithy was not very professional.

7

74th Battalion Pay list 1908
1907-1908
Sussex, New Brunswick, Canada


Credits:
Archives Canada
Annual Report, Department of Militia and Defence of the Dominion of Canada