This site is written by Geoffrey A. Pocock, author of Outrider of Empire: The Life and Adventures of Roger Pocock (University of Alberta Press), The Frontiers of Truth (Lulu) and One Hundred Years of the Legion of Frontiersmen (currently out of print).
You can find the main history pages and many other articles by following this link.
The blog section of this site is regularly updated with new “topics of the month” and “surprising snippets”. Please follow the links under the banner to find previous topics and articles.
All articles on this site are © Copyright Geoffrey A. Pocock, unless otherwise stated, and may not be reproduced in any form, in part or in full, without prior permission.
Formed at the end of 1904 for fellowship and for service to the State at any time of need, the Legion has been the centre of many myths. The official website sets the record straight and tells the truth of the extraordinary history of those who served humanity selflessly and often made the greatest sacrifice of all. The Legion of Frontiersmen has always held that anyone of any age, colour, creed, ability or disability can be of service to his or her fellows and community through its ranks.
If you would like to email the webmaster please click the picture to view contact details.
The Frontiersmen Historian 
Currently researching Private GS-58708,Charles Reeve Beechey. Can you help with any details
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We believe a book was written a year or two back about the Beechey brothers. We do not have the title to hand. You should also find information on the website http://www.25throyalfusiliers.co.uk
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We are interested in displaying a photograph of Captain Roger Pocock and his biography in our new museum, The Royal Logistic Corps Museum, in Winchester, England. Capt. Pocock served in the Labour Corps during the First World War, the predecessor Corps to Pioneer Corps, one of the forming Corps of the Royal Logistic Corps.
I am trying to locate a photograph of him, preferably during the World War One period, if you could please assist or perhaps advise on who to contact, I would really appreciate it.
Best wishes, Tess
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Hi Tess, thanks for your message. We will have a reply for you as soon as possible and will post it here. Admin.
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You should have now received an email giving you all the relevant contact information you need. Let me know if it hasn’t come through. Admin.
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Hi, I have a photo of my Great Grandfather in Frontiersmen uniform. We believe he first went to Canada (from the UK) in 1929 (which fits with the start of the Revitalisation period), however we believe the photo to have been taken in approx. 1934. My Nan remembers receiving a gift (a handkerchief from memory) with Winnipeg on it. I would love to get in touch with the creator of this website to share the photo and see if they can share any further insights.
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Hi Rachel. Thanks for your message. I have passed this on to Geoff and he will get in touch with you soon.
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Hi im trying to find a member by the last name van der velde or velde born 1893 can u help ,this is all i know about my grandfather
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Hi Shari, thanks for your comment. I will pass this message through and get back to you. Admin.
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We regret we are unable to help in this case. We have no record of a Van der Velde or a Velde, although we do not have a full list of members because not every Frontiersmen unit around the world supplied their nominal roll to HQ. If you knew what country and what city your grandfather lived that might help. We do have a Sgt. Van der Merve in South Africa in 1925. Sometimes spellings in registers were inaccurate.
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Hello,
Thank you for your highly informative Article on JOHNSTONNOAD: https://frontiersmenhistorian.info/2015/10/17/a-light-legion-scandal/No wonder we as the grandchildren were never allowed to meet him. No-one ever spoke about him. Now I can see why. What a Dick Dasterdly personality. My father was Johnston-Noad’s son. They never saw much of each other after my beautiful grandmother Elizabeth, after whom I am named, divorced Johnston-Noad. Again understandably. The article ended saying Johnston Noad left his memoires to a Museum.
Could you tell us which museum this was/is so we can contact them to maybe have a copy of his memories? This would be highly appreciated.
Regards,
Elizabeth
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Thank you for your interest. There is much more about the life of Johnston-Noad to be found in the book “Frontiers of Truth”. We will also email with further information for you.
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I have a uniform of the Imperial Frontiersmen, Full Colonel,Red gorget collar tabs, chain mail shoulder boards, ribbons for WWI & WWII service, uniform dated 1946 named to M.C. deMountfalcon, any information please,
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My Dad passed away in February of this year and going thru his things found pictures of a family member who was a member of the Frontiersmen. Would like to get more information on them and also if there is someone who might want these pictures I have of them.
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Thanks Rory. A reply from Geoff for you as follows. Admin. “We always welcome donated photographs. We digitize them for our archives and then the original photos are sent to our world archive at the Bruce Peel Special Collections and Archives at the University of Alberta. They have specialist conservators and preserve orginal photos, which can deteriorate badly if not properly stored. They are recorded permanently in their files under the donor’s name.
We compare them with the many hundreds of photographs we already hold and can often provide additional information.
Please advise which country you reside so that we can give you the address of which member of the History and Archives team lives there. We are a team of volunteers who give our services freely. Thank you for your offer.”
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My grandfathers elder brother (Andrew Arthur James Cox) was in the 25th Royal Fusiliers, and was awarded a medal for service in South Africa from 1915 to 1918. I think he was with the Frontiersmen prior to that. We have him crossing from Vermont into Montreal Dec 1914. His family said that he always claimed to have been granted land at Grassy Lake Manitoba as a payment for service with the Frontiersmen. We also have a photo that we believe he took of the First Chapel of the Mohawks in Brantford, Ontario. We are trying hard to tie things together. Besides the crossing into Canada (from Ancestry.ca), where else can we look for information on his time in Canada or South Africa? Were the Frontiersman involved with the Mohawks in some way? I’d love more information of their (the Frontiersmen) time in Canada and South Africa. Any pointers please?
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A reply from Geoff for you as follows, Admin.
Your grandfather’s elder brother is indeed listed as sergeant in the nomal roll of the 25th Bn Royal Fusilers Frontiersmen.
We do not know if there is any further information, but please contact Steve Eeles who runs that website.
https://www.25throyalfusiliers.co.uk/welcome.html
We are also passing your enquiry to our specialist Canada historians and our specialist Africa historian who will contact you if they can offer any guidance.
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Further information for you.
From Dr. Anne Samson, specialist Africa historian:
I don’t think Cox had anything to do with South Africa, it should be East Africa which accords with the 25th Royal Fusilier (LoF) dates.
There is a burnt document which can be accessed via https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6140910 – this may or not be the same person.
The reports on https://www.25throyalfusiliers.co.uk/welcome.html should give the best/easiest overview of Cox’s time in East Africa during the war. Otherwise it’s checking local and national archives in Canada.
From B.W. (Will) Shandro, Senior Canadian Historian:
Suggest the following ..
Check Canadian records of the SOLDIER SETTLEMENT BOARD established post WW1 giving returned vets a chance to establish farms via homesteading in Canada.
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My Grandfather is believed to be with the Frontiersmen in Ottawa or Montreal Canada.
George Diack Davidson, any information of service would be appreciated.
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We are passing your enquiry to our specialist Canada historians who will contact you direct if they find any information. It is not an easy enquiry to answer without further details such as dates. The Legion of Frontiersmen started in Canada in 1906 so it is a long period of time. Also the surname is not uncommon.
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Hello
I recently received a photograph of my great grandfather Edgar Hewitt Blackburn (1885-1931) wearing a Legion of Frontiersmen uniform.
I had never heard of it before and I would very much like to find out more about what he did, when, where etc.
Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Carol
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We regret we are unable to help without more information. By the time your great grandfather died there had been around 30,000 men who had enlisted in the Legion. There were quite a number of Blackburns among them in the Legion of Frontiersmen around the Commonwealth. We need to know where he lived – what country, what town, city or area, and if possible his Squadron and Troop’s letter/number also his Legion number. You should find about his WW1 service on “Forces War Records” website.
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