National Boer War service records
A selection of national records held is listed in the table below.
General Boer War service records
| Title or description of record | Date range | Series number | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | First Australian Infantry Regiment correspondence | 1899–1900 | C3167 |
| General correspondence files relating to the Australian Contingents | 1899–1911 | A6443 |
| Boer War dossiers* | 1901–02 | B4418 |
| Boer War veterans case files | 1901–51 | J1773 |
| Boer War funeral benefit sub-files | 1901–61 | B5517 |
| Personal case files (Boer War veterans) | 1902–ongoing | K1021 |
| Personal case files | 1932–ongoing | A2799 |
| Boer War veterans’ funeral benefit files | 1939–60 | D4549 |
* Main record of service
New South Wales contingents records
The following table lists a selection of records relating to New South Wales contingents.
New South Wales contingent records
| Title or description of record | Date range | Series number | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay ledgers for NSW military forces involved in the Boer War | 1899–1902 | B5205 |
| Pay ledgers for NSW military forces serving in the Boer War | 1899–1903 | B5202 |
| Contingent pay ledgers for NSW forces | 1899–1908 | B5200 |
| Registers of pay for NSW forces | 1900–03 | B5201 |
Queensland contingents records
The following table lists a selection of records relating to Queensland contingents.
Queensland contingent records
| Title or description of record | Date range | Series number | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camp and ordinary pay sheets | 1899–1901 | A6590 |
| Service rolls of contingents of the Queensland Defence Force | 1899–1901 | B5199 |
| Unregistered nominal rolls, pay lists and associated accounting correspondence | 1899–1902 | A6588 |
| Returns of Queensland contingents | 1899–1902 | B5175 |
| Pay lists for "H" Company, 4th Contingent, Queensland Defence Forces | 1900–01 | B5164 |
| Nominal rolls of the Queensland Defence Forces | 1900–03 | B5172 |
| Service rolls of Queensland contingents | 1901 | A6615 |
| Roll of the 4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen-from-Newcastle to Stromberg | 1901 | B5181 |
| Pay lists and pay instruction rolls for the Queensland Defence Force | 1901–02 | B5161 |
| Pay sheets of the 5th and 6th contingents from the Queensland Defence Forces | 1901–02 | B5180 |
South Australian and Western Australian contingents records
The following table lists a selection of records relating to South Australian and Western Australian contingents.
SA and WA contingent records
| Title or description of record | Date range | Series number | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attestation declarations for the fifth South Australian contingent | 1901 | AP613/7 |
| Alphabetical roll of Western Australian contingents | 1900–03 | B5165 |
What's in a Boer War dossier?
The Boer War dossiers (series B4418) consist of an attestation form relating to individual servicemen who enlisted to serve in the Boer War during 1901 and 1902 (that is, after Federation).
Personal information recorded on an attestation form includes place of birth, age, nationality, occupation, marital status, next of kin, previous service in South Africa (where applicable), address, religion, height and chest measurements, complexion, eye and hair colour, distinctive marks, and, in some cases, weight.
Find and view a Boer War dossier online
- Go to NameSearch.
- Enter the family name of the service person – make sure it is the name used at enlistment.
- Select ‘Boer War’ from the dropdown menu.
- Search.
- Display the results of your search. If there are too many, you can refine this search result, and then enter the person’s given names and/or service number.
- Use the link to ‘View digital copy’. You can also print a copy of the record.
Purchase a colour print copy
All Boer War dossiers in series B4418 have been digitised and are available to view online and print from NameSearch.
If you would like to purchase a colour print copy:
- first locate the item using NameSearch (see above)
- use the ‘Request copy’ button
- complete your order using our secure eCommerce facility. Copying charges will apply.
View an original record
If you would like to view a Boer War dossier in the Melbourne reading room of the National Archives, please submit an advance request to view records form or contact the Melbourne office.
Further information
You will find more records listed in:
- The Boer War: Australians and the War in South Africa, 1899–1902 – a National Archives research guide
- Boer War records
Other useful fact sheets include:
It is also worth checking the Boer War nominal roll held by the Australian War Memorial.
