Soldiers and Bushmen

The Australian Army in South Africa, 1899–1902

Thomas Richardson

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English

Cambridge University Press
31 July 2025

History; Australasian & Pacific history; Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900; 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000; Military history; Warfare & defence

Series: Australian Army History Series

Soldiers and Bushmen: The Australian Army in the South Africa, 1899–1902 examines the commitment to what was expected to be a short war. It presents a thematic, analytical history of the birth of the Australian Army in South Africa, while exploring the Army's evolution from colonial units into a consolidated federal force. Soldiers and Bushmen investigates the establishment of the 'bushmen experiment' – the belief that the unique qualities of rural Australians would solve tactical problems on the veldt. This, in turn, influenced ideals around leadership, loyalty and traditional combat that fed the mythology of the Australians as natural soldiers. The book also examines the conduct of the war itself: how the Army adapted to the challenges of a battlefield transformed by technology, and the moral questions posed by the transition to fighting a counterinsurgency campaign.

By: Thomas Richardson
Imprint: Cambridge University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 235mm, Width: 160mm, Spine: 20mm
Weight: 550g
ISBN: 9781009597814
ISBN 10: 1009597817
Series: Australian Army History Series
Pages: 256
Publication Date: 31 July 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Introduction; 1. Raising Australia's Army; 2. The Australian Army in South Africa; 3. Command; 4. Morale; 5. Combat; 6. Counterinsurgency; 7. Coercion; Conclusion.

Thomas Richardson is a historian at University of New South Wales, Canberra. He specialises in Australian military history, and histories of insurgency and counterinsurgency. His first book, Destroy and Build: Pacification in Phuoc Tuy 1966–72, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2017. He is working on a history of the Australian Army and limited war in Asia.