The Anglo-Boer war is declared
As matters deteriorated it became clear that war was inevitable, commanders Reitz and Smuts drafted an ultimatum to the British demanding them to remove troops from their borders and ships should be turned back. Steyn agreed to the terms in the return of the letter but the agreement was imperatively dismissed. On the 11th of October 1899 the Anglo-Boer war (2nd Boer war) was declared
Prime Minister Richard Seddon had previously volunteered troops for the first Boer war in order to display New Zealand’s strength and loyalty to the crown, as the war was finished so quickly in a peace treaty the troops were dismissed mid training, Richard Seddon was adamant that troops should be sent for this new war with the Boers convincing the New Zealand house of representatives that is was the duty of the nation appealing to the nationalist side of New Zealanders, in September 1899 the motion was passed and troops were told to embark for cape town no later than the 31st of October 1899.
New Zealand men responded in the thousands to the call for troops, as the number of applicants were so large officials weren't afraid to turn down any men who did not meet the health requirements and military standards for marksmanship and horsemanship, the criteria and copious recruits meant that New Zealand was able to pick and choose the best of the best to send in representation to the cape, the government had to rely on the volunteers having their own horses as they had very limited resources, the first two contingents were made up from men who could pay their own way through owning a horse,rifle and equipment.
Public opinion was an overwhelming sense of approval as many as 40,000 people, over one twentieth of the total population attending the wellington departure of the first New Zealand contingent on the 21st of October. Pride and nationalism was a very strong push for the New Zealanders going to war and supporting it, the population felt the first contingent were hero's off to do their noble duty, this idea was amplified by patriotic music and various speeches from officials including Seddon instilling the connection between New Zealand and an empire so far off their shores.
" For England,Home and Duty, for each and all,they go forward to the fight, bearing with them high hopes for their achievements as well as many tender fears, but more than all the belief of their fellow countrymen that they will bear themselves as men of the old breed,brave and true and never forgetting while the Empire is their nation New Zealand is their home"
Evening Post 21 October 1899
The displays of patriotism and close to celebration was a stark contrast to the experience of war that the New Zealand troops would experience in the next few years, with the longevity of the war being far longer than the public who were directly fighting and supporting this war had expected.
The public expected the war to be over by Christmas but it proved to be the longest, bloodiest and costliest war undertaken by the British so far in History totaling over 200 million pounds and losing over 23,000 men in battle.
The public expected the war to be over by Christmas but it proved to be the longest, bloodiest and costliest war undertaken by the British so far in History totaling over 200 million pounds and losing over 23,000 men in battle.