Australian units

The contingents supplied by Victoria were:

Contingent	Officers	Men	Arrived in SA	Left SA
1st Victorian Contingent	12	240	Nov 99 Mar 00	Nov 1900
2nd Victorian Mounted Rifles Contingent	15	250	Feb 1900	Nov 1900
3rd Victorian Bushmen's Contingent	15	261	Apr 1900	May 1901
4th Victorian Imperial Contingent	31	598	May 1900	Jun 1901
5th Victorian Mounted Rifles Contingent	46	971	Feb 1901	Mar 1902
2nd Battalion Australian Commonwealth Horse	21	351	Feb 1902	Jul 1902
4th Battalion Australian Commonwealth Horse	17	235	Apr 1901	Jul 1902
6th Battalion Australian Commonwealth Horse	22	467	Jun 1902	Jul 1902
Total	179	3,373

Other Contingents/Units in which NSW and Victorian troops served include: 5th and 6th Australian Contingent, Royal Australian Artillery, Australian Army Medical Corps, Doyle's Scouts, Cameron's Victorian Scouts and the Intelligence Department.

The first Victorian quota of the Commonwealth Horse, numbering 360 officers and men, sailed on the St Andrew on 12th February 1902.  On arrival they were present at some of the closing scenes in the Western Transvaal.  The colony's section of the second Commonwealth contingent sailed on the Templemore on 27th March, and that of the third Commonwealth Horse, over 400, on 19th May.  Victoria contributed about 300 recruits to the Scottish Horse.

Click on the icon to read the account of this unit from Lt Col P L Murray's 1911 'Official Records of the Australian Military Contingents to the War in South Africa'

The Honours and awards gained by the Victoria Contingents:

Lieutenant L C Maygar, 5th VMR, gained the Victoria Cross.

The Colonial Office issued this note about service in the Boer War on 3rd October 1899:

Secretary of State for War and Commander in Chief desire to express high appreciation of Her Majesty's Government for the patriotic spirit exhibited by the people of Australia in offering to serve in South Africa and to furnish following information to assist organisation of forces offered into units suitable for military requirements:

1. Firstly.  Units should consist of about 125 men.
2. Secondly.  May be infantry, mounted infantry, or cavalry.  In view of numbers already available, infantry most, cavalry least, serviceable.
3. Thirdly.  All should be armed with .303 rifles or carbines, which can be supplied by Imperial Government if necessary.
4. Fourthly.  All must provide own equipment, and mounted troops their own horses.
5. Fifthly.  Not more than one captain and three subalterns to each unit.  Where more than one from single colony force may be commanded by officer not higher than Major.

In considering number which can be employed, the Secretary of State for War, guided by nature of officers, desires that each colony should be fairly represented and limits are necessary if force is to be fully utilised.

Available staff is integral portion of Imperial forces.

Would gladly accept two units each from New South Wales and Victoria, and one from South Australia.

Conditions as follows:

1. Troops to be disembarked at port of landing in South Africa, fully equipped, at cost of colonial Governments or volunteers.
2. From date of disembarkation, Imperial Government will provide pay at Imperial rates, supplies and ammunition, and will defray expenses of transport back to the colony, and pay wound expenses and compassionate allowances at Imperial rates.
3. Troops to embark not later than 31st October, proceeding direct to Capetown for orders.

 

 

 

The following Mentions were gained by the Victorian Contingents:—

LORD ROBERTS' DESPATCH: 2nd April 1901.—Mounted Rifles: Colonel T Price; Majors Eddy (killed), I). M'Leish; Lieutenants M T Kirby, J L Lilley; Adjutant S T Staughton; Sergeants H H Bell, P J Dalimore; Privates H J Cooke, R J Gardiner, E Starkey. Mounted Infantry: Colonel J C Hoad. Imperial Bushmen: Lieutenant Colonel N W Kelly.

LORD KITCHENER'S DESPATCHES: 8th March 1901.—Imperial Bushmen, 4th contingent: Lieutenant Colonel N W Kelly; Captains E Tivey, P J Dallimore (contingent not stated); Lance Corporal R M'Rae; Privates W Sheehan, J Clay, J Green, P O'Brien (promoted corporals); Corporal Elliot; Privates A M Burke, D E Wallace.

8th May 1901.—Victorian Imperial Regiment (4th contingent): Captain A H Sturdee, medical officer at Middelwater, Cape Colony, on April 22nd rode half a mile under fire to a donga near enemy's position, in which were some wounded men who needed medical aid,—Lance Corporal J W Willing assisting on same occasion. 5th VMR: Lieutenant and Adjutant H A Anderson has shown a fine dash on several occasions under fire, and by his coolness and determination extricated a patrol from a very difficult situation near Rhenoster Kop on May 7th 1901. Lieutenant J H Paterson, medical officer, on same occasion proceeded, under fire, to within 70 yards of enemy in order to assist wounded, and remained under close fire for over two hours; and though constantly shot at, continued to attend wounded, and remained behind with them when the patrol withdrew, though he was without Red Cross brassard.

From Colonel Henniker's Despatch on operations in Zuurberg, CC, in March 1901.—Victorian Imperial Bushmen, 4th contingent: I cannot speak too highly of the excellent way in which Major Clarke has always carried out his orders, and the manner in which his officers and men back him up. In the announcement of the award of DSO to Major Clarke, it was said to be "for able command of operations against De Wet".

From Lord Methuen's Despatch of 16th March as to attack on Wolmaranstad, 6th March.—Victorian Imperial Bushmen: Lance Corporal A N Gregg, promoted Sergeant, rode twice across open and bullet-swept ground to look for missing man, found him, and brought him back safely. Seems specially deserving of praise. Corporal Walker, Staff-Sergeant A S Mackenzie, Troopers J J Butler, Jamieson, and Duncan took back spare horses to bring out men whose horses had bolted.
From Colonel Henniker's Special Despatch of April 1st.—VIB: Sergeant D Sandford, Lance Corporal Legerwood, Trooper J Browning, at Zuurberg, CC, March 31, in returning from reconnoitring, and pressed by enemy, a man's horse fell and pinned him to the ground; these three men went back under fire, released him, and brought him in.

8th July 1901.—Vet.-Lieutenant S Sherlock, on June 7th, at Wilmansrust, when doctor was killed, took charge of 40 wounded, and by his skill and attention much alleviated suffering and danger; an excellent officer in his own department. Victorian Imperial Regiment: Corporal Hewitt (promoted Sergeant), under a heavy fire, in response to a call for volunteers, with Quartermaster Sergeant Johnstone, entered a farm and brought out four armed Boers. May 13th, in Cape Colony, Trooper Hipland (promoted Corporal), on same occasion, though wounded, rode back to cover retreat of another man, QM-Sergeant Johnstone, same occasion, twice brought to notice, mentioned in Army Orders. VMR: Private H A Wilson (promoted Corporal), along with Private G Davidson, Kitchener's Horse, as a scout has on many occasions shown exceptional skill and nerve. At time Delarey and Beyers were in Megaliesberg, voluntarily and alone on several occasions took most important messages through Boer lines.

8th August 1901.—VI Regment: Corporal Pike, promoted Sergeant at Grootreitvlei, CC, May 13, same occasion as Quartermaster Sergeant Johnstone (see above).

1st June 1902.—5th VMR: Sergeant Major Keeble, for gallant capture of Boers single-handed at Rhenoster Kop in May 1901.

26th June 1902.—Nursing Sisters M Rawson (got Royal Red Cross) and Isobel Ivey. Major M O'Farrell; Captains G G F Chomley, A J Christie; Lieutenants G J Bell, T S L O'Reilly, H Kessell; Regimental Sergeant Major R S Goode (1st Dragoon Guards); Company Sergeant Major J W Keeble; Sergeants J Kilbeg, A Watt; Lance Corporal W Hutchins; Private J Birch.

 

 

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