This contingent, commanded by Major H G Vialls, Captain in the Reserve of Officers, was taken to Beira, where they landed in April 1900. They formed part of the force of Bushmen which, under General Carrington, crossed Rhodesia and entered the Transvaal from Mafeking. The contingent, small as it was, was split up, but they saw a great deal of fighting throughout July, August, and September 1900 in the district between Mafeking on the west and Warmbad, north of Pretoria, on the east. At Kosters River, on 21st and 22nd July (see 1st NSW Bushmen), there was a stiff engagement in which parties from the different Australian colonies bore the brunt. The West Australians, strength about 70, had Surgeon Captain F J Ingoldsby and Lieutenant Davies and several men wounded. A few West Australians, acting under Captain Ham, 3rd Victorians, were in Colonel Here's garrison which made a very fine defence at Elands River, 4th to 16th August (see Rhodesia Regiment). Another small detachment were with Carrington when he attempted to effect Here's relief from the west; while the first troops to march into the place as the advance scouts of Lord Kitchener's force, which relieved the garrison from the south-east, were, as already stated, men of the 1st West Australians.
During the last four months of 1901 and the first few months of 1902, the 3rd contingent, as part of the 3rd Australian Bushmen, commanded by Major Vialls, saw much fighting in many parts of the seat of war, and under Vialls' fine leadership always did well. Some of the work of the 3rd NSW Bushmen is sketched under the 3rd Victorian Contingent.
Captain Hurst of the 3rd contingent remained in South Africa after his squadron had sailed. In the spring of 1902, while attached to 'G' Battery Royal Horse Artillery, then converted into Mounted Rifles, he was severely wounded in the action of Boschbult, Western Transvaal, 31st March.
Click on the icon to read the account of this unit from Lt Col P L Murray's 1911 'Official Records of the Australian Military Contingents to the War in South Africa' 