In December 1901 it was arranged that Federated Australia would send more
men to South Africa, and on the 30th Mr Barton announced that the 1st
Federal Contingent would consist of nine units, contributed as follows: New
South Wales and Victoria three each, Queensland one, West Australia one,
South Australia and Tasmania each one-half. But these arrangements
were somewhat altered.
According to the evidence given before the War Commission and the
statements in the appendices, New South Wales furnished three battalions of
Commonwealth Horse, there called the 1st, 2nd, and 5th Battalions, amounting
altogether to 1169 officers and men, with 1300 horses.
The first lot of Commonwealth troops sailed in the latter half of
February 1902. Their war service was thus short, and they had few
opportunities of acquiring distinction, but they took part in the last great
drives in the Western Transvaal under General Ian Hamilton, and their good
work was specially referred to by Lord Kitchener in his despatch of 1st June
1902 (see 8th New Zealand Contingent).
The second lot of Commonwealth troops sailed from the various Australian
ports between 1st and 10th April 1902, and on the 5th of that month it was
announced that Australia would furnish a further contribution of 2000 men,
being four regiments of 500 each. These were at once recruited, and
sailed about the middle of May, but peace was declared before they arrived
in South Africa.
