Colin's Military History (Boer War) Page

The Anglo-Boer Wars

• the First Anglo-Boer War, 1880-1881 (also known as the Transvaal War)
• the Second Anglo-Boer War, 1899-1902

Some links to Australian sources:

• the AWM (Australian War Memorial) and
• the Australian Military Historical Society

Some links to Overseas sources

• the Canadian Forces College Index

Some background on Australia in the lead-up to it's involvement in the second Anglo-Boer War.

Some Australian references:

• Lt. Col P. L. Murray RAA, "Official History of the Australian Military Contingents to the War in South Africa", published by the Australian Government Printer, Melbourne in 1911 (a facsimile reprint was arranged some years ago by John Burridge Military Antiques, Swanbourne WA). You can download a 127Kb file containing Dr McLachlan's Index of the 17,865 names listed in Murray.
• R. L. Wallace, "The Australians at the Boer War", published by the AWM & AGPS Canberra in 1976.
• L. M. Field, "The Forgotten War - Australian Involvement in the South African Conflict of 1899-1902", published by Melbourne University Press in 1979, and
• Elyne Mitchell, "Light Horse - the Story of Australia's Mounted Troops", published by McMillan Australia Pty Ltd, Melbourne in 1978.

Some useful foreign references:

• L. S. Amery (Ed), "The Times History of the War in South Africa 1899-1902", six volumes published in London from 1900 to 1909 by Sampson Low, Marston & Co.
• Lady Bellairs (Ed), "The Transvaal War 1880-1881", published by William Blackwood & Sons, London in 1885 (there was also a facsimile reprint by C. Struik (Pty) Ltd., Capetown in 1972).
• A. Conan Doyle, "The Great Boer War", published by Smith, Elder & Co., London in 1900.
• Rayne Kruger, "Good-Bye Dolly Gray", published by Cassell & Co. Ltd., London in 1959.
• T. Pakenham, "The Boer War", published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London in 1979.
• H.W.Wilson, "With The Flag To Pretoria", published in 1900 by Harmsworth Bros Ltd, London. You can download a 12Kb file with the 461 name NZSoG Index to Wilson.
• "Canadians in Khaki, South Africa 1899-1900 - Nominal Rolls of the Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and men of the Canadian Contingents and Strathcona's Horse with Casualties to Date and also R.M.C. graduates with the Army in South Africa", date of publication 1900 (but no author or publisher shown). A copy is reportedly obtainable at Dalhousie University library (call number DT 931.3 C2).
• T.G. Marquis, "Canada's Sons on Kopje and Veldt", 1900.

Some Second Boer War Campaign Medal Rolls etc:

• D. R. Forsyth, "The Defenders of Kimberley Medal Roll - The Queen's South Africa Medal 1899-1902 with Clasp Defence of Kimberley authorised by Army Order No. 94", published by D. R. Forsyth, Johannesburg in 1977.
• S. M. Kaplan, "The Medal Roll of the Queen's South Africa Medal with Bar Relief of Mafeking", published by S. M. Kaplan, Johannesburg.
• S. M. Kaplan, The Medal Roll of the Queen's South Africa Medal with Wepner Bar, published by S. M. Kaplan, Johannesburg.
• Returns, South African War, local armed forces, nominal rolls, WO127 Reel 5882 Piece No. 16 Date 1901-1902 Description: Bushveldt Carbineers. (Source: The Australian Joint Copying Project Handbook, second edition part 4 page 28). Wallace says that 90% of the 320 strong Bushveldt Carbineers were Australians although on Joe West's count of enlistments from February to October 1901 the figure is 32%.

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