The 3rd contingent consisted of two squadrons of Mounted Infantry
commanded by Major Dobbin. They were very frequently designated
Victorian Bushmen, sometimes Australian Bushmen. The contingent
arrived at Beira on the Euryalus on 12th April 1900, and formed part of the
force which, under General Carrington, crossed Rhodesia and entered the
Transvaal from Mafeking. A party of Victorian nursing sisters landed
at Beira with the troops and accompanied them on the long journey to
Mafeking.
The 3rd Victorians were associated with the 3rd West Australians, the two
forming the 3rd, but sometimes called the 2nd, Regiment of Australian
Bushmen. The 3rd Victorian contingent was split up, but the larger
portion moved eastward from Mafeking and Zeerust with Plumer, under whom
they acted, and did fine work during their term in the field.
A detachment of about 50, under Captain Ham, was dropped at Elands River,
east of Zeerust, and formed a portion of the garrison which, under Colonel
Hore, made a splendid defence from 4th to 16th August (see
Rhodesian Regiment). About 60 of the
contingent were in the force of Colonel Airey, one of those which attempted,
but unsuccessfully, to push through to Hore. In Airey's engagement at
Rosters River, 22nd July (see 1st New South
Wales Bushmen), the Victorian detachment had 4 killed and 7 wounded.
Ham's detachment was in September brought by rail from Mafeking to Pretoria
and joined Plumer north of that town.
In Lord Roberts' telegram of 2nd November he mentioned that Paget and Plumer
had had an engagement on the 1st to the south-west of the Megato Pass in the
Megaliesberg. He said Plumer's mounted troops drove the Boers "from
two strong positions over difficult country. The Yorkshire and
Warwickshire Yeomanry, under Colonel Howard, carried one position by
assault. The 3rd Imperial Bushmen, under Major Vialls, turned another
position which caused the enemy to retreat precipitately". Major
Vialls was an officer of the West Australians, but commanded the 3rd
Bushmen. This detachment of Victorians saw an immense deal of hard
fighting service under Generals Paget and Plumer. In August,
September, and October they were constantly in touch with the enemy in the
district north of Pretoria, and afterwards worked both north-west and
north-east of the capital. They were in the hardly contested battle at
Rhenoster Kop, 29th November 1900 (see 1st, 2nd, and 3rd
New Zealand Contingents), in other
engagements about Balmoral, and afterwards, in February 1901, in the pursuit
of De Wet in Cape Colony, where they had various casualties (see
4th Victorian contingent); and again,
after the middle of March, in the district north of Pretoria.
In his despatch of 8th May 1901 Lord Kitchener, dealing with General
Plumer's operations in the Eastern Transvaal in April, said "a party of the
enemy driven westward by General Beatson was pursued and overtaken by a
detachment from General Plumer's force under Major Vialls, 3rd Victorian
Bushmen". Twenty-seven prisoners and 1000 head of cattle were taken on
this occasion. As has already been stated, Major Vialls had the 3rd
Victorians under his command.
A small detachment of the 3rd were in the Western Transvaal along with the
4th from August 1900 onwards.
Practically all the 3rd Australian contingents sailed for home in May
1901.
Cameron's Victorian Scouts
Lieutenant J M'L Cameron, of the 3rd contingent, organised and commanded
a body of specially picked and trained scouts, under the name Cameron's
Victorian Scouts, whose good work was on several
occasions referred to by correspondents and other writers. It was a
group of 24 men raised by Lieutenant John McLeod Cameron, for special
service. He provided them with mounts except where they had their own.
They were part of the main contingent and were armed and equipped as the
rest of the Third Bushmen. The establishment was one Lieutenant, one
Sergeant, two Corporals, twenty one Privates with 33 horses. The Third
Bushmen arrived at Beira on 3 April 1900 and proceeded to Rhodesia.
They were attached to the Rhodesian Field Force. Cameron's Scouts
remained at Marandellas whilst the rest of the force proceeded to Bulawayo,
Mafeking and Rustenburg. At a later date Cameron Scouts proceeded by
train from Bulawayo to Mafeking, rejoining the main RFF. Whilst at
Marandellas they became bodyguard to General Sir Frederick Carrington.
When the RFF left Mafeking they went on the march to Ottoshoop and Zeerust.
At Brakfontein (near Eland's River) they fought an eight-hour engagement
against a De La Rey Commando. A couple of rear guard actions were
undertaken over the next few days on the way back through Marico River to
Zeerust. At that point of time, a Commando under General Lemmer
engaged them. They then returned to Ottoshoop. During the next
couple of weeks, they were engaged on several small sniping engagements.
General Carrington ordered their return to Rhodesia and Cameron's Scouts
were effectively disbanded.
QSA (4) CC Rhod OFS Tr (Capt Victorian Scouts), KSA (2) (Major CC
Forces). Major John McLeod-Cameron is confirmed on the
medal rolls for both medals, serving with Cameron's Victorian Scouts from 4
April 1900 to 23 June 1901, and Cape Colonial Forces from 1 December 1901 to
31 May 1902. He was promoted Captain, 22 June 1900, and became Major
in the Cape Colony Colonial Forces, as Commandant at Aberdeen and Carnarvon.
He served until the termination of the war. DNW Dec 91 £2,500.
