13/08/2026
The South African War of 1899–1902, commonly known as the Second Boer War, was fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics, the South African Republic (Transvaal) and the Orange Free State. The immediate causes included disputes over British imperial control and the political rights of mainly British immigrants in the Boer territories, particularly after gold was discovered in the Transvaal. Queensland offered troops to Britain in 1899, before Federation, reflecting the colony’s strong imperial connections. After the initial conventional battles, the Boers adopted highly mobile guerrilla tactics, leading British forces to rely heavily on mounted troops such as the Queensland contingents.
Queensland sent six contingents, comprising approximately 2,000 men: the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry, followed by the 4th, 5th and 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen. The contingents were predominantly mounted infantry—soldiers who could ride, scout and fight on horseback—and Queensland’s reputation for experienced bushmen made these troops particularly valuable. The 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry sailed from Brisbane in November 1899, while the sixth and final contingent departed in April 1901. Their service included the advance through the Transvaal, the relief of Kimberley, operations around Pretoria and extensive counter-guerrilla operations across the South African countryside. Queensland’s official records confirm the six contingents and their departure and return dates.
The exact figures vary slightly depending on whether later Commonwealth units and Queenslanders serving in other formations are included, but about 2,000 Queenslanders served in the six colonial contingents, with approximately 70–72 dying in South Africa. Deaths were caused not only by combat but also by disease, particularly enteric (typhoid) fever and pneumonia. The Australian War Memorial’s official records specifically list Queensland personnel who were killed or died, while the National Archives holds the Queensland returns of those who died during the war. The sixth contingent alone suffered 12 deaths—seven from combat or wounds and five from dise
