The Boer War (1899-1902) was the last great imperial conflict of Queen Victoria’s reign, and the last major campaign conducted by the British Army before the First World War. For the country at large it lacked some of the immediacy of the latter conflict, being fought in distant South Africa by volunteers.

For those involved, however, it was very real indeed, and many communities were affected, which contributed a number of its sons and daughters to the defence of the Empire.