Boer War

• When/where/who was involved?

  • Where: Southern Africa (modern day South Africa)

  • When: 11 October 1899 – 31 May 1902

  • Between: The British Empire (including NZ) and the two Boer

  Republics (the South African Republic and the Orange Free State)

  • The Boers were independent, self-governing republics formed

  (especially in the last half of the 19th century) by Dutch-speaking

  inhabitants of the Cape Colony and their descendants.

  • Fought over - resources/control over Southern Africa
• Why was NZ involved in this war?

  New Zealand fought because they were a part of the British Empire. Premier (Prime Minister) Richard ‘King Dick’ Seddon asked parliament for approval to send a contingent from NZ. This was passed with only five dissenting members.
• New Zealand's loyalty to the British Empire

  • Strong links to the 'Mother Country'
  • Seddon - 'would fight for one flag, one Queen, one tongue, and for one country – Britain'
  • NZ relied on the British Empire for security – Empire would protect us in return for our service
  • Almost all Pākehā in New Zealand - British descent - felt a strong sense of loyalty to Britain. Most Pākehā in NZ were migrants or had migrant parents so the connection to Britain was recent and strong
• War


  Seen as restoring the 'virility' of the nation's men in an era of cities and materialism
• The war was a way…

  A way for New Zealand to gain international recognition
• How the war affected New Zealand's identity

  • It brought New Zealanders together around a cause
  • It reinforced a sense of loyalty many felt to Queen and motherland
  • It was a big deal at the time, with the public fund-raising and building about 50 memorials within six years
  • Māori were officially prevented from serving, but many did serve under Pākehā names, some with distinction
  • New Zealanders won a great reputation, being physically large and strong, and able to endure hardship
  • The South African War set the pattern for New Zealand's later involvement in two world wars, with their successes fostering the idea that New Zealanders were natural soldiers who needed little training to fight well
• The South African War is largely forgotten
• Consequences for NZ and NZers

  • 230 troops died
  • 133 troopers died from disease (enteric fever)
  • 71 were either KIA or died of wounds
  • 26 were accidentally killed – 16 of these died in a railway accident at Machavie
• Increase in military activities at home

  Rise in the number of Volunteers from 7,000 in June 1899 to 17,000 in July 1901
• Increase in school cadets

  1. Cadet system made compulsory in 1902

  2. Over 15,000 school cadets by 1907
• Māori were involved but it was a Pākehā war against Pākehā enemies
• How is this war remembered today?

  • Largely forgotten as both World Wars have superseded the Boer War in terms of importance. Many more lives were lost in those wars.

  • Memorials around NZ - expressed the ideals which the war had represented – fern leaves intertwined with oak leaves, British lions and union jacks were common motifs, and in Dunedin a heroic trooper protected his mate.
• How significant was NZ’s contribution to this war?

  • NZ sent nearly 6500 volunteers and 8000 horses to South Africa.

  • In all, 71 soldiers were killed in action or died of wounds; 26 were accidentally killed, and 133 died of disease.

  • In Britain, The Times claimed that NZ troops had little experience but ‘they were, by general consent, regarded as on the average the best mounted troops in South Africa.’