Australians and New Zealanders at Klerksdorp, 24 March 1901 by Charles Hammond (1904, oil on canvas, 77 cm x 127.6 cm). AWM Caption: Being the furious moment depicted in this painting occurred during an action near Klerksdorp in the Transvaal, about 160 kilometres south-west of Johannesburg, during Lord Metheun's operations in the district after the fall of Klerksdorp itself, against the forces of Boer General De la Rey. This art work was inspired by an illustration by British military artist R Caton Woodville, which appeared in 'The Illustrated London News'. Public Domain
South Africa has had a troubled past from over a century ago.
Australia was part of the contingent that was involved in the conflict between the British Empire and the Boer republics of South Africa. This post is not written to discuss the politics of the time, rather to portray the brave men and women who were part of the Third Contingent, and though this second Boer War ranged from 1899 to 1902, it will concentrate on the year of 1900.
A short summary from Wikipedia...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_Australia_during_the_Second_Boer_War
The military history of Australia during the Boer War is complex, and includes a period of history in which the six formerly autonomous British Australian colonies federated to become the Commonwealth of Australia. At the outbreak of the Second Boer War, each of these separate colonies maintained their own, independent military forces, but by the cessation of hostilities, these six armies had come under a centralised command to form the Australian Army.
Towards the end of the nineteenth century, an escalating conflict between the British Empire and the Boer republics of southern Africa, led to the outbreak of the Second Boer War, which lasted from 11 October 1899, until 31 May 1902. In a show of support for the empire, the governments of the self-governing British colonies of Canada, New Zealand, Natal, Cape Colony and the six Australian colonies all offered men to participate in the conflict. The Australian contingents, numbering over 16,000 men, were the largest contribution from the Empire, and a further 7,000 Australian men served with other colonial or irregular units. At least 60 Australian women also served in the conflict as nurses.[1]
By chance, I came across a series of articles not only listing the names of many, if not all, of those enlisted in the Third Contingent, but also what to family historians, is 'genie gold'.. photos also.
TROVE never ceases to amaze...
Please click to enlarge...
Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), Friday 23 February 1900, page 7
National Library of Australia http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article19044205
We go now to the Queenslander as below... pages 406 - 413
Note.. p. 405 isn't available so the images, which are numbered to correspond with the list of names, begin at no. 6...
e.g. No. 245 is linked to Wylie Andrew Wilson who gave his contact as Q.N.Bank, Brisbane..
e.g. No. 245 is linked to Wylie Andrew Wilson who gave his contact as Q.N.Bank, Brisbane..
Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939), Saturday 3 March 1900
Letters from a mother...
The Queenslander 31 March 1900
The Queenslander 31 March 1900
More reading here... and here
Lord Roberts enters the city of Kimberley following the relief of the besieged city in February 1900Public Domain
A troop of the Australian Contingent raised for the protection of Johannesburg (1899).
Public Domain
Possibly the best known figure from the conflict, was 'Breaker Morant..' you can find numerous articles about him, via TROVE, movie, books, etc.
Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant (1864- February 27, 1902), circa 1900 26 February 1902 The 'Confession' The 'Confession' written on the back of photograph A05828 addressed to the Reverend Canon Fisher was written by Lieutenant (Lt) Harry Harbord Morant and signed by Morant and Lt Peter Joseph Handcock, it reads: 'To the Rev. Canon Fisher, Pretoria The night before we're shot We shot the Boers who killed and mutilated our friend ( the best mate I had on Earth) Harry Harbord Morant Peter Joseph Handcock' http://cas.awm.gov.au/screen_img/A05829
Public Domain
Do note that in the lists above, though they were predominantly from Qld, you will find some that gave a home address or contact address from various other states.
For further reading or research, here is a small selection of relevant links...
Third (Queensland Mounted Infantry) Contingent | The Australian War Memorial
Australia and the Boer War, 1899–1902 | The Australian War Memorial
Chapter 2: Committing the Contingents - The Boer War: Australians and the War in South Africa, 1899–1902 NAA
TROVE..
Were your ancestors involved in the Boer Wars? I would love you to leave a comment telling us about them.
