TOPIC:

Over a pub lunch yesterday, a question was posed in relation to enlistment in South African Local Forces.
An example of this would be a Yorkshire man with no previous military service enlist in the Bushveldt Carbineers and only ever serving in that unit?

Or a farmer from Lismore NSW enlisting in say Kitchener's Horse.

How were these men selected or did they choose? and if so where was this done? by prior responses to advertisements in empire newspapers? was there a warehouse on the docks loaded with tables and recruitment officers waiting for the private passengers to disembark and sign up? was it a question of skill sets v renumeration?

There does not appear to be much in the way of primary source documents that explains the process.

Has anyone come across how the process was enacted from the start and the various criteria that may have been employed in a selection (by either side). Of course we know what had to be achieved to get into Rimington's/Damant's but even then, what constituted the recruitment over and above the mandatory skill sets needed.

I think this was more the case of self-selection in the first instance.

Advertisements in papers and recruiting posters raised awareness eg www.angloboerwar.com/forum/2-introductio...30-cape-police#58288

I believe there were recruiting depots in South Africa and also in the major centres of the empire to which individuals could apply in person or in writing.

They were then screened for health and some units recorded their abilities (riding, shooting, linguistic). The first two would have been essential on the job description for the mounted units. I have a picture of the Yeomanry undergoing medical checks which I will look out.

Best wishes
David

Bilcoboy
I have read that during the war, when men landed at the seaports in CC or Natal, they faced recruiters and office fronts at or near the seafront displaying notices offering enlistment possibilities in several of the irregular corps. Each corps had its own enlistment form (especially later in the war) which included a medical check and showing terms of enlistment, rates of pay and NofK. Previous posts on this site have mentioned these enlistment forms several times. And there were "indulgence passengers" from OZ to SA; where their passage was paid for on condition of enlistment. These passengers have also been mentioned previously on this site.
In an era when most young or youngish men from the Colonies had familiarity with horses and firearms, some aspects of basic training might be shortened. for example, I have in my collection a QSA to KFS bearing clasps "Transvaal" and "South Africa 1902" and his period of service was about one month - not much basic training there.
Regards
IL.

Thank you David & Linneyl, it sems that many variables were at play at that time.

This post contains a collection of recruitment advertisements: angloboerwar.com/forum/13-miscellany/886...y-1901?start=0#12723

This is the imagine I was thinking of