Battles of the nineteenth century . opportunityof serving in the Medi-terranean garrisons andat the seat of , Australia, andNew Zealand had al-ready provided con-tingents for activeservice. When theywere accepted, theHome Governmenthad informed the Co-lonial Governmentsthat as sufficient cavalrywould be provided from the regular army, only infantry should be sentfrom the Colonies to Africa. But an unsuccess-ful campaign against the Boer armj% consistingalmost entirely of mounted infantry, had shownthe lack of wisdom that had dictated thisrestriction. The new contingents were to bemad
Battles of the nineteenth century . opportunityof serving in the Medi-terranean garrisons andat the seat of , Australia, andNew Zealand had al-ready provided con-tingents for activeservice. When theywere accepted, theHome Governmenthad informed the Co-lonial Governmentsthat as sufficient cavalrywould be provided from the regular army, only infantry should be sentfrom the Colonies to Africa. But an unsuccess-ful campaign against the Boer armj% consistingalmost entirely of mounted infantry, had shownthe lack of wisdom that had dictated thisrestriction. The new contingents were to bemade up entirely of mounted men and and gunners had already been offered bythe Colonies and rejected. These oflFers werenow accepted. It was arranged that Canadashould send i,ooo mounted infantry and threebatteries ; Australia another i,ooo and a battery,and New Zealand 200 mounted men and fourHotchkiss guns. Another step towards theprovision of mounted men was taken at homeby calling for the enrolment of some thousands. FIELD-MARSHAL LORD ROBERTS, , {Photo: Messrs. Kobinson *5^ Son^ DubliH.) of Imperial Yeomanry. These were to beenrolled first by taking such of the as would volunteer for service at thefront, and secondly by enlisting men who couldride and shoot, even though they had as yet nomilitary training. They were not [required tow-ear any regular uniform. Riding breeches andNorfolk jacket of any dull colour, a broad-leafedhat, and a bandolier would be their fightingcostume. At first 5,000 were asked for ; but soready was the response that manj thousands more were enrolled andequipped. They wereto serve, not as cavalry,but as mounted infan-try, and they werearmed with rifles andorganised in battalionsof four strong com-panies each. Yet another sourceof rapid recruiting wasfound by calling onthe volunteers to supplyfrom each existing corpsa full company at warstrength to be attachedto the territorial bat-talion serving at thefront. Th
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublisherlondo, bookyear1901
