Health and Fitness of the Queensland Contingents to the South African War, 1899–1902

Abstract

In 1899, Britain requested volunteers from the Australian colonies to fight the Boers in South Africa. Australian soldiers who travelled to South Africa are described within the historical literature as fit and healthy, especially in comparison with British 'Tommies'. The troops themselves wrote frequently of their superior physical condition in personal records, however many wrote at length about the lack of food or comfort on the battlefield. This paper examines the demographic and anthropometric data on enlistment and discharge of 279 men who fought in the First and Third Queensland Contingents alongside soldiers' claims about health and comfort in South Africa. Anthropometric analysis reveals that despite variable food intake, Australian soldiers returned home fit and with slightly better nutritional status than on enlistment. This provides some backing to some soldiers' claims that military service brought them 'glorious healthiness'.