Canadians on the Veldt: From Musket to Maxim

Paul McNicholls was born in England, but has spent most of his life in Canada. After taking a history degree from Simon Fraser University and then qualifying as a teacher, he worked in the insurance industry for thirty years. The study of history remained his primary focus, however, and family holidays usually included visits to different parts of the world in pursuit of his interests. He has been aware of the Red River Expedition since his youth, but as virtually no detailed study of it has been undertaken in recent times, he saw this as a gap in our understanding of the British Army's ability to respond on short notice to events in remote parts of the world; as well as in the early career of Garnet Wolseley. It is also an important event in the formation of Canada with ramifications still being felt to this day. Paul is married to Lyndy Anne and has three grown children. He lives on Vancouver Island in British Columbia.