1899 - 1902 South African War

1899 - 1902 South African War (AW-06-1208-2).
1899
28 September
New Zealand offered Britain a contingent of mounted rifles for service in South Africa against the Boers – two weeks before the war was declared – and became the first colony to offer troops. Volunteers were expected to provide their own horses and equipment, costing about £25. By the war’s end the New Zealand public had donated some £113,000 to the war effort.
1899
21 October
The First Contingent, comprising 214 officers and men, sailed with their 251 horses from Wellington aboard the SS WAIWERA bound for South Africa. This was the first time in the country’s history that New Zealand soldiers embarked for overseas service. There were to be a total of 10 such contingents.
1899
23 November
The First Contingent arrived at Capetown and immediately moved to the northern part of the Cape Colony to join the cavalry division commanded by Major General French.
1899
18 December
Attached to General French’s cavalry division, the New Zealanders saw their first major action at Jasfontein Farm, earning commendations from the general for their steadiness in a difficult position.
1900
15 January
About 60 men of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles, commanded by Captain W.R.N. Maddocks, routed a Boer attack on a hill at Slingersfontein with a bayonet charge down the slope at the advancing Boers. The feature was renamed New Zealand Hill by General French.
1900
15 February
The New Zealanders took part in the relief of Kimberley. Apparently they were the only troops to reach Kimberley without losing a horse, evidence of good march discipline.
1900
21 March
South Africa – the Third Contingent arrived at East London. They were roughriders, men selected without previous volunteer experience but who were good horsemen and marksmen.
1900
May
Captain C.T. Major offered his 5th Contingent Company to man a battery of six 15 pounder guns at Marandellas. So was formed the 1st New Zealand Battery, Rhodesian Field Force Artillery.
1901
28 January
New Zealanders of the Second Contingent formed part of a colonial brigade that thrust south-east from Pretoria to successfully break up General de Wet’s force of Boers in the Vlakfontein district.
1901
14 February
New Zealanders and Australians turned the right flank of General de Wet’s Boers forcing them to retreat and occasioning the capture of the whole of his convoy of transport wagons.
1902
6 February
New Zealanders of the Seventh Contingent took part in the first of General Kitchener’s “new model” drives. This consisted of men advancing nine metres apart and camping in position overnight; the line thus established was between 80 and 100 kilometres in length. It was described in the Times History as a 'feat of discipline, endurance and skill which …..…. is unparalleled in the history of war’.
1902
24 February
The Boer General de Wet concentrated his 3000-man force at one point of Kitchener’s “new model” drive at Bothasberg, the point element of his attack being the part of the line held by the New Zealanders. Although heavily outnumbered, the New Zealanders fought so hard that only 600 Boers broke through the line at that point. The New Zealanders, however, sustained their heaviest casualties in a single engagement during the war; 24 dead and 42 wounded out of a total of 80 men.
1902
12 April
A total of 16 New Zealanders of the Eighth Contingent were killed in a railway accident at Machavie.
1902
31 May
The Boers surrendered. The Times History said of the New Zealanders that ‘they were, by general consent, regarded as …….. the best mounted troops in South Africa’.
1902
4 June
Lieutenant R. McKeich of the Ninth Contingent became the final New Zealand casualty of the war. He was shot dead in Orange Free State during an encounter with a party of Boers who later claimed to be unaware of the surrender four days previously, an explanation accepted by the New Zealanders as the truth. In all, 59 New Zealanders were killed in action, 11 died of wounds, and 133 from disease. A further 166 New Zealanders were wounded. A total of 6495 New Zealanders served in South Africa.

This page was last reviewed on 19 December 2008 and is current.

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