Soldiers talking with the local people in South Africa, ca. 1900.
Image no. 161175
Queenslanders in the South African War, 1899 - 1902
Image gallery
A display of photographs showing the Queensland contribution to the South African War effort.
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Search for Queensland soldiers by name.
Queensland contingents
Names of contingents and numbers of soldiers and horses.
It is not often remembered that when the Commonwealth of Australia was born on the 1st January 1901, it was a country at war.
When war broke out between Great Britain and the Boer States (the Orange Free State and South African Republic or Transvaal) on 11th October 1899, Australian colonial governments including Queensland were quick to respond.
Queensland was the first colony to offer volunteers, 3 months before the war began. Queenslanders provided some unique contributions to the war. Queensland was the only colony whose men were mounted from the outset, Queenslanders were the only Australians at the relief of Mafeking, and in a war of horsemen, Queensland sent volunteers of the Queensland Cycle Corps, riding their Massey cycles into action.
The six unfederated Colonies, and later the Commonwealth of Australia, sent 16,423 troops and 16,357 horses to South Africa, Queensland's contribution being 2,913 men and 3,209 horses. Ninety-two Queenslanders lost their lives.
Last updated: 28th November 2011
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