The story of Australian horses in the Boer War is explored in a new book by Jill Mather.
The launch of Follow the Flag: Colonial Horses in South Africa in Gosford last month was attended by members of the State Boer War Memorial Committee, descendants of Boer War veterans, history enthusiasts and horse lovers.
The horses that went to South Africa from Australia were walers, which had a reputation for being tough because of local conditions.
Jill said historical information about the horses was fragmented. “I wrote about the horses because no one else did it and because it had to be done,” she said.
While there were gaps in the Australian archives, New Zealand and Canadian records were helpful.
“Most soldiers went through 10 horses in four years.” Jill said a lot of lessons were learnt in the Boer War, which enabled better military decisions in World War I.
These related to healthcare and disease management, training and shipping, with at least a third of horses lost in every trip to South Africa.
“But it was not enough, as six million horses were lost in World War I,” she said.
Follow the Flag: Colonial Horses in South Africa is available for $30 by calling Jill on 4351-1387 or email jillmather@hotkey.net.au
