The Australian Mounted Rifles Marching through Cape Town

Australia’s contribution to the Boer War effort is glimpsed en route to the front.

Australia offered 16,000 men to the Empire’s war effort in South Africa. Here a portion of them can be seen marching through Cape Town in late December 1899, on their way to the front. Of particular interest is the presence of Edgar Hyman (a South African entertainment entrepreneur) in a white suit. He seems to be directing the camera and soliciting waves from the mounted rifles, ever the showman no matter the context.