New Zealand contributed ten contingents of
mounted rifles
Mounted infantry were infantry who rode horses instead of marching. The original dragoons were essentially mounted infantry. According to the 1911 ''Encyclopædia Britannica'', "Mounted rifles are half cavalry, mounted infantry merely specially mo ...
towards the
British Crown
The Crown is the state (polity), state in all its aspects within the jurisprudence of the Commonwealth realms and their subdivisions (such as the Crown Dependencies, British Overseas Territories, overseas territories, Provinces and territorie ...
's efforts in the
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sout ...
(also known as the South Africa War). The British Government accepted the offer by
Richard Seddon
Richard John Seddon (22 June 1845 – 10 June 1906) was a New Zealand politician who served as the List of prime ministers of New Zealand, 15th Prime Minister of New Zealand, premier (prime minister) of New Zealand from 1893 until his death. ...
the
Premier of New Zealand
The prime minister of New Zealand ( mi, Te pirimia o Aotearoa) is the head of government of New Zealand. The prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, leader of the New Zealand Labour Party, took office on 26 October 2017.
The prime minister (informa ...
for troops, and so the country became the first British colony to volunteer forces for the war. A total of ten contingents departed for South Africa between October 1899 and April 1902. The volunteers of the first two contingents were mainly members of New Zealand's existing permanent or voluntary forces and were expected to supply their own equipment and horses. The Third and
Fourth Contingents were organised by regional politicians and businesspeople: the Third organised mainly from
Canterbury
Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour.
...
, and the Fourth from
Otago
Otago (, ; mi, Ōtākou ) is a region of New Zealand located in the southern half of the South Island administered by the Otago Regional Council. It has an area of approximately , making it the country's second largest local government reg ...
. These two Contingents were also largely paid for through local fundraising rather than central government, and together they became known as the ''Rough Riders''. The remaining contingents were funded by the British Government. The Boer War was the first overseas conflict to involve New Zealand troops, and was the first conflict the nation was involved in since the
New Zealand Wars
The New Zealand Wars took place from 1845 to 1872 between the New Zealand colonial government and allied Māori on one side and Māori and Māori-allied settlers on the other. They were previously commonly referred to as the Land Wars or the M ...
had ceased in the early 1870s. Over 6500 New Zealand soldiers served in South Africa with the units suffering 230 casualtiesmost of those from either accident or disease.
Contingents
See also
*
Military history of New Zealand
The military history of New Zealand is an aspect of the history of New Zealand that spans several hundred years. When first settled by Māori people, Māori almost a millennium ago, there was much land and resources, but war began to break out a ...
*
List of Second Boer War Victoria Cross recipients
The Victoria Cross (VC) is a British military honour awarded to 78 members of the British Armed Forces for action during the Second Boer War. The Victoria Cross is a military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to membe ...
Citations
References
*
*
*
*
* {{cite web , url = http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/war/south-african-boer-war/new-zealands-response , title = South African 'Boer' War – New Zealand's response, publisher =
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
The Ministry for Culture and Heritage (MCH; ) is the department of the New Zealand Government responsible for supporting the arts, culture, built heritage, sport and recreation, and broadcasting sectors in New Zealand and advising government on ...
, date = 25 June 2014 , access-date = 22 October 2014 , ref = {{harvid, New Zealand's response
External sources
Embarkation database with every New Zealand soldier who joined the New Zealand contingents
Military units and formations of the New Zealand Army
Military units and formations of the Second Boer War