Outdoor group portrait of soldiers and locally appointed staff of an unknown medical unit, but ...

Outdoor group portrait of soldiers and locally appointed staff of an unknown medical unit, but likely the Second NSW Medical Contingent. A wooden box painted with a cross and labelled "Antiseptic case" is to the right of the group. Related to the service of Harold Turner. 369 Private Harold Turner served in South Africa from 1900 to 1901 as a member of the Second Contingent of the New South Wales Army Medical Corps. He served as a horse driver with the contingent, which embarked for South Africa on 17 January 1900. They arrived at East London, Cape Colony the following month, and travelled to Sterkstroom, where they were attached to the column commanded by Lieutenant General W F Gatacre.

The practice of distributing medical staff across several units means it is unclear exactly where Turner served in South Africa, but the clasps on his medal (REL39561) indicate that he saw service in the Cape Colony and Orange Free State campaigns, as well as at Johannesburg in May 1900 and at the battle of Diamond Hill in June of the same year.

It is also unclear exactly when Turner returned to Australia. Part of the second New South Wales Contingent returned to Sydney on 8 December 1900, and the rest of the Contingent arrived 8 January 1901.