Commencing in October 1899, with Boer forces attacking British forces in Natal and the Bechuanaland extension of the Cape Colony, the Boer War reflected the Boer Republics' resistance to perceived British interference and followed almost directly from the First Boer War of 1881. The war involved three distinct phases with the first being the series of defeats of British forces by Boer mounted infantry operating in commandos to January 1900. The second phase featured the resurgence of reinforced British forces resulting in the annexation of the Boer republics by August 1900. The final phase was characterised by the Boer adoption of mounted guerrilla warfare by small parties ( called commandos) until May 1902 when the war finally ended.

In October 1899, parts of the Victorian, Tasmanian, South Australian and Western Australian contingents were embarked in one ship for Cape Town. These detachments, later converted from infantry to mounted infantry, were initially combined as 'The Australian Regiment'; the colonists were at last together on active service abroad.

The British defeats in the first phase of the war resulted in increased recruiting in Australia.

The first two contingents from Australia were composed mainly of part-time volunteers and militia while the later ones were primarily recruited from experienced horsemen with shooting skills but no previous military training.
Those later contingents raised prior to Federation were identified as 'Bushmen's Contingents', while those raised after Federation were organised into eight battalions and identified as Australian Commonwealth Horse.

Colonial and later Australian troops saw a considerable amount of fighting including actions at Sunnyside, Slingersfontein and Pink Hill, the relief of Kimberley, at Paardeberg, at the siege of Eland's River, at Rhenosterkop and Haartebeestefontein. A total of 16,175 men and 16,314 horses left Australia in the various contingents to serve in South Africa.

Digger History - click to find all the best information on our Australian War History