The Boer War was fought between 1899 and 1902 and spans the pre- and post-Federation period. Therefore, records may be held by state government archives or by the National Archives.
As a general guide, colonial period records are held in state government archives and post-Federation records are held by the National Archives, although there may be exceptions to this.
A selection of national records held is listed in the table below.
| Series title | Date range | Series number | Location | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | First Australian Infantry Regiment correspondence | 1899–1900 | C3167 | Sydney | Microfilm copies held in all Archives offices |
| General correspondence files relating to the Australian Contingents | 1899–1911 | A6443 | Canberra | Listed on RecordSearch |
| Boer War dossiers* | 1901–02 | B4418 | Melbourne | Online copies available on RecordSearch |
| Boer War veterans case files | 1901–51 | J1773 | Brisbane | Listed on RecordSearch |
| Boer War funeral benefit sub-files | 1901–61 | B5517 | Melbourne | Listed on RecordSearch |
| Personal case files (Boer War veterans) | 1902–ongoing | K1021 | Perth | A few items listed on RecordSearch |
| Personal case files | 1932–ongoing | A2799 | Canberra | Listed on RecordSearch |
| Boer War veterans’ funeral benefit files | 1939–60 | D4549 | Adelaide | Listed on RecordSearch |
* Main record of service
The following table lists a selection of records relating to New South Wales contingents.
| Series title | Date range | Series number | Location | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pay ledgers for NSW military forces involved in the Boer War | 1899–1902 | B5205 | Melbourne | Microfilm copies held in all Archives offices |
| Pay ledgers for NSW military forces serving in the Boer War | 1899–1903 | B5202 | Melbourne | Microfilm copies held in all Archives offices |
| Contingent pay ledgers for NSW forces | 1899–1908 | B5200 | Melbourne | Microfilm copies held in all Archives offices |
| Registers of pay for NSW forces | 1900–03 | B5201 | Melbourne | Microfilm copies held in all Archives offices |
The following table lists a selection of records relating to Queensland contingents.
| Series title | Date range | Series number | Location | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camp and ordinary pay sheets | 1899–1901 | A6590 | Canberra | Listed on RecordSearch |
| Service rolls of contingents of the Queensland Defence Force | 1899–1901 | B5199 | Melbourne | Microfilm copies held in all Archives offices |
| Unregistered nominal rolls, pay lists and associated accounting correspondence | 1899–1902 | A6588 | Canberra | Listed on RecordSearch |
| Returns of Queensland contingents | 1899–1902 | B5175 | Melbourne | Microfilm copies held in all Archives offices |
| Pay lists for "H" Company, 4th Contingent, Queensland Defence Forces | 1900–01 | B5164 | Melbourne | Microfilm copies held in all Archives offices |
| Nominal rolls of the Queensland Defence Forces | 1900–03 | B5172 | Melbourne | Microfilm copies held in all Archives offices |
| Service rolls of Queensland contingents | 1901 | A6615 | Canberra | Listed on RecordSearch |
| Roll of the 4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen-from-Newcastle to Stromberg | 1901 | B5181 | Melbourne | Microfilm copies held in all Archives offices |
| Pay lists and pay instruction rolls for the Queensland Defence Force | 1901–02 | B5161 | Melbourne | Microfilm copies held in all Archives offices |
| Pay sheets of the 5th and 6th contingents from the Queensland Defence Forces | 1901–02 | B5180 | Melbourne | Microfilm copies held in all Archives offices |
The following table lists a selection of records relating to South Australian and Western Australian contingents.
| Series title | Date range | Series number | Location | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attestation declarations for the fifth South Australian contingent | 1901 | AP613/7 | Adelaide | Listed on RecordSearch |
| Alphabetical roll of Western Australian contingents | 1900–03 | B5165 | Melbourne | Microfilm copies held in all Archives offices |
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.
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 photocopy, first locate the entry for the record using NameSearch (see above). When you have found the entry, use the ‘Request copy’ button, then order and pay online using our secure eCommerce facility.
A black and white photocopy costs:
• AU$25 (including GST) for purchases within Australia
• AU$28 (GST-free) for purchases made outside Australia
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 directly. Contact details for the Melbourne office are listed on Fact sheet 1 – Addresses and hours of opening.
You will find more records listed in:
Other useful fact sheets include:
It is also worth checking the Boer War nominal roll held by the Australian War Memorial.