New South Wales Lancers

Battle Honour	South Africa 1899-1902
Commanding Officers	Cox, Charles Frederick Lee, George Leonard
Decorations	1 CB, 1 DSO, 2 DCM
Conflict	South Africa, 1899-1902 (Boer War)
References	Official records of the Australian military contingents to the war in South Africa(Melbourne : A.J. Mullett, Govt. Printer, 1911) Vernon, Philip Venables; Royal New South Wales Lancers Centenary Committee, The Royal New South Wales Lancers, 1885-1985 : incorporating a narrative of the 1st Light Horse Regiment, A.I.F., 1914-1919(Parramatta, N.S.W.: Royal New South Wales Lancers Centenary Committee, 1986) Wilcox, Craig, Australia's Boer War : the war in South Africa, 1899-1902(Melbourne : Oxford University Press, 2002)
Category	Unit
Conflict	South Africa, 1899-1902 (Boer War)
Unit hierarchy	Colonial Military Forces New South Wales New South Wales Lancers

Description

The New South Wales Lancers was raised in 1883 as a light horse unit but, following the return of its contingent from the Sudan that had served with the New South Wales Artillery in 1885, it converted to a lancer unit. In 1899 a squadron of 100 officers and men from the Lancers, under the command of Captain C. Cox, travelled to Britain, where it participated in a military tournament at Islington and undertook training at Aldershot.

The contingent was to have returned to Australia but, when war in South Africa broke out, two officers and 69 non-commissioned officers and men volunteered for service. In October they and their horses travelled on board the Nineveh to Cape Town, arriving on 2 November. Theirs were the first Australian unit to arrive in South Africa.

Men volunteering for service were required to be between 20 and 40 years of age, preferably unmarried, and be "good shots". Horses needed to be suitable for mounted infantry work and had to pass a veterinary exam.

Over the course of the following four months, the lancer received three drafts to reinforce and support the contingent. The second draft consisted of five officers, 36 other ranks, and 160 horses and left Sydney on board the Kent on 28 October 1899. The third draft of 17 sergeants and men and 15 horses left New South Wales on the Moravian on 17 January 1900. The fourth and final draft, of an officer and 40 other ranks, left on 16 February 1900 on the Australian.

From November 1899 to December 1900 the unit served in the northern Cape Colony, the Free State, and in east Transvaal. In February 1900 it served as part of General J.D.P. French's cavalry division, forming part of the 1st Cavalry Brigade, from the relief of Kimberley to the sweep to Heidelberg in October.

Actions in which the lancers took part:

Balmont: 23 November 1899
Grasspan: 25 November 1899
Modder River: 28 November 1899
Magersfontein: 11 December 1899
Arundel: 13 January 1900
Reit River: 12 February 1900
Klip Drift: 13 February 1900
Relief of Kimberly: 15 February 1900
Dronfield: 16 February 1900
Paardeburg: 18 February to 5 March 1900
Poplar Grove: 7 March 1900
Dreifontein: 10 March 1900
Bloemfontein: 10 March 1900
Brandfort: 12 March 1900
Ventersburg road: 10 May 1900
Vanwyksrust: 27 May 1900
Doornkop: 29 May 1900
Valkheuvel Poort: 3 June 1900
Diamond Hill: 11 and 12 June 1900
Olifantsfontein: 11 and 12July 1900
Lang Kloof: 26 August 1900
Swartz Kop: 27 August 1900
Wartburg Hills: 12 September 1900
Barberton: 13 September 1900
Lake Chrissie: 16 October 1900
Mooiplaats; 17 October 1900
Ermelo : 18 October 1900
Reitvley: 19 October 1900
Bethel: 20 October 1900
Rooipoort: 22 October 1900
Kaffir Kuil: 24 October 1900
Witkop : 25 October 1900

At the end of 1900 the lancers prepared to return to Australia. The squadron embarked at Cape Town on the transport Harlech Castle on 11 November and the Orient on 13 December. The first group arrived in Sydney on 6 December and the second on 8 January 1901.