The Victorian Mounted Rifles (VMR) was a

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscript ...

composed of Australian forces that served 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 South ...

. It was first raised by Colonel Tom Price in the mid-1880s, composed of voluntary forces. It was composed of several contingents, the most notable being the 5th Victorian Mounted Rifles.

Composition

Frank Dadd - Company of the Victorian Mounted Rifles on manoeuvres in Victoria in 1889

2nd Victorian Mounted Rifles

This was led by Colonel Thomas Price in the Second Boer War.

5th Victorian Mounted Rifles

The 5th contingent enrolled for the Second Boer War in February 1901, leaving for South Africa in mid-February. The regiment was mobilised at

Pretoria Pretoria () is South Africa's administrative capital, serving as the seat of the executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to South Africa. Pretoria straddles the Apies River and extends eastward into the foot ...

between 24 March and 4 April 1901. It saw considerable action during the Second Boer War when it was used to combat the

guerilla warfare Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare in which small groups of combatants, such as paramilitary personnel, armed civilians, or irregulars, use military tactics including ambushes, sabotage, raids, petty warfare, hit-and-run tactic ...

tactics of the

Boers Boers ( ; af, Boere ()) are the descendants of the Dutch-speaking Free Burghers of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. From 1652 to 1795, the Dutch East India Company controlled this are ...

Leslie Cecil Maygar Lieutenant Colonel Leslie Cecil Maygar, (27 May 1868 – 1 November 1917) was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was ...

was awarded the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

for gallant acts during the Second Boer War whilst enlisted in 5 VMR. The Regiment came into controversy after an attack on their camp at Wilmansrust. The 5th saw heavy casualties with the Regimental surgeon, and 18 NCOs and men killed; five officers and 36 NCOs and men were wounded. The Officer in Charge of the column, Major-General Sir Stuart Brownlow Beatson, K.C.B., K.C.S.I., K.C.V.O. (1854–1914), was not satisfied with the actions of the Victorian Mounted Rifles and was quoted as saying: ''"I tell you what I think. The Australians are a damned fat, round shouldered, useless crowd of wasters . . . In my opinion they are a lot of white-livered curs . . . You can add dogs too."'' He charged three men—Troopers James Steele (1142), Arthur Richards (1272) and Herbert Henry Parry (1335).—of the VMR for inciting mutiny and after a summary

Court Martial A court-martial or court martial (plural ''courts-martial'' or ''courts martial'', as "martial" is a postpositive adjective) is a military court or a trial conducted in such a court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of memb ...

, he sentenced them to death.http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-3300356/Wilmansrust-the-battlefield-trials-of.html This sentence was commuted by General Kitchener who was in charge of all allied forces. The reduced sentences were debated in both the Australian and British Parliaments and were eventually commuted. When the 5th VMR departed from South Africa, Lord Kitchener sent the CO this telegram:

"11 March 1902,
Cape Town,
Please Convey to your Australians my warm appreciation of their gallant and arduous service in this country. In the name of the Army in South Africa, I wish them good luck and God speed."

Composition

2nd Victorian Mounted Rifles

5th Victorian Mounted Rifles

References

Further reading