Second Boer War, aka South African War, 11 October 1899 – 31 May 1902

A. H. Hider’s 1901 print of Canadians at the Battle of Paardeberg, 1900.

On 30 October 1899, 1,000 volunteers with the Royal Canadian Regiment travelled to South Africa by ship to join Imperial British forces engaged in the South African War (Boer War). It was the first time Canada had sent soldiers to a major foreign conflict. The volunteers became mired in guerrilla fighting against white South African farmers (Boers), the descendants of Dutch settlers who lived in two republics adjacent to British colonies. The British fought the war to gain control of the South African Republic and its rich gold mines.