TROOP ARRIVALS &
BRITISH TROOPS DEPLOYED

This list is an attempt to show the extent of British Troops that were present in South Africa, when they arrived and the ship they arrived on. The dates are not always exact and could be the nearest known date. The main source for the detail here was 'Our Regiments in South Africa' by John Stirling.

Regiment Battalion Ship Date of Sailing Sailed From Date of Arrival Arrived Where/Notes
Alexandra Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment) 1st Battalion DOUNE CASTLE 24 November 1899   15 December 1899 Cape
Army Chaplains Department            
Army Ordnance Corps            
Army Service Corps 22nd & 41st Company GOORKHA 8 July 1899 Southampton 2 August 1899  
Bedfordshire Regiment 2nd Battalion SUMATRA 16 December 1899   8 January 1900 Cape
Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) 1st Battalion     India end December 1901  
Border Regiment 1st Battalion SUMATRA 27 September 1899 Malta 21 October 1899 Cape Town
Buffs (East Kent Regiment) 2nd Battalion GAIKA 22 December 1899   13 January 1900 Cape
Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) 2nd Battalion CITY OF CAMBRIDGE 23 October 1899   21 November 1899 Durban
Cheshire Regiment 2nd Battalion BRITANNIC 7 January 1900   27 January 1900 Cape
City Imperial Volunteer Battery         27 February 1900 Cape
City Imperial Volunteers   BRUTON 16-21 January 1900      
City Imperial Volunteers   GARTH CASTLE 16-21 January 1900      
City Imperial Volunteers   ARIOSTO 16-21 January 1900      
City Imperial Volunteers   GAUL 16-21 January 1900      
City Imperial Volunteers   KINFAUNS CASTLE 16-21 January 1900      
Coldstream Guards 1st Battalion MALTA   Gibraltar 16 November 1899 Cape
Coldstream Guards 2nd Battalion GASCON     12 November 1899 Cape
Composite Regiment of Household Troops   MAPLEMORE 30 November 1899   24 December 1899 Cape
Composite Regiment of Household Troops   PINEMORE 4 December 1899   29 December 1899 Cape
Connaught Rangers 1st Battalion BAVARIAN 10 November 1899   28 November 1899 Cape
Devonshire Regiment 1st Battalion SUTLEJ 21 September 1899 Bombay   One of four infantry battalions despatched from India to Natal before war was declared
Devonshire Regiment 2nd Battalion MANILLA 20 October 1899   15 November 1899 Cape
Dorsetshire Regiment 2nd Battalion SIMLA 28 November 1899   17 December 1899 Cape
Dragoon Guards 1st (King's) MAPLEMORE 8 January 1901   January 1901 Cape
Dragoon Guards 2nd (Queen's Bays) OROTOVA 18 November 1901   December 1901  
Dragoon Guards 3rd (Prince of Wales's) VITORIAN 22 January 1901      
Dragoon Guards 5th (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) LINDULA 27 September 1899 India   Natal - Arrived in South Africa before the start of the war
Dragoon Guards 6th (Carabiniers)       beginning December 1899  
Dragoon Guards 7th (Princess Royal's) ARMENIAN 8 February 1900   1 March 1900 Cape
Dragoons 1st (Royal)   Beginning November 1899   26 November 1899 Durban
Dragoons 2nd (Royal Scots Greys) BRITISH PRINCESS & RANEE + one other ship     7 December 1899 Cape
Dragoons 6th (Inniskilling) WAKOOL 3 November 1899 Tilbury Docks 26 November 1899 Cape
Dragoons 6th (Inniskilling) CHICAGO 9 November 1899 Albert Dock 2 December 1899 Cape Town
Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment) 2nd Battalion AVONDALE 2 December 1899   25 December 1899 Cape then Durban
Duke of Cornwall's Light Inafntry 2nd Battalion FORMOSA 5 November 1899   29 November 1899 Cape
Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire Regiment) 2nd Battalion GASCON 16 December 1899   7 January 1900 Cape
Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) 1st Battalion ORIENT 30 December 1899   21 January 1900 Cape
Durham Light Infantry 1st Battalion CEPHALONIA 24 October 1899   18 November 1899 Cape
East Lancashire Regiment 1st Battalion BAVARIAN 18 January 1900   3 February 1900 Cape
East Surrey Regiment 2nd Battalion LISMORE CASTLE and HARLECH CASTLE 19 October 1899   14 November 1899 Durban
East Yoirkshire Regiment 2nd Battalion NILE 14 March 1900   3 April 1900 Cape
Elswick Battery 1st Northumberland Volunteer Yeomanry          
Essex Regiment 1st Battalion GREEK 14 November 1899   2 December 1899 Cape
Essex Regiment 2nd Battalion   December 1901 India December 1901  
Gloucestershire Regiment 1st Battalion   16-30 September 1899 India before 24 October 1899  
Gloucestershire Regiment 2nd Battalion CYMRIC 1 January 1900   1 January 1900 Cape Town
Gordon Highlanders 1st Battalion CHESHIRE 9 November 1899   28 November 1899 Cape
Gordon Highlanders 2nd Battalion   September 1899 India September 1899 Natal
Grenadier Guards 2nd Battalion DUNERA 18 March 1900   11 April 1900 Cape
Grenadier Guards 3rd Battalion GOORKHA 25 October 1899 Gibraltar 15 November 1899 Cape
Hampshire Regiment 2nd Battalion ASSAYE 4 January 1900   23 January 1900 Cape
Highland Light Infantry 1st Battalion AURANIA     11 November 1899 Cape
Hussars 10th (Prince of Wales's Own Royal) ISMORE       St Helena Bay - Ship came to grief in St Helena Bay, all men saved
Hussars 10th (Prince of Wales's Own Royal) COLUMBIAN     beginning December 1899 Cape
Hussars 13th MONTFORT & TEMPLEMORE     beginning December 1899  
Hussars 14th (King's) VICTORIAN     1 January 1900 Cape - A and C Squadrons
Hussars 14th (King's) CESTRIAN     10 January 1900 Cape Colony - B Squadron
Hussars 18th         Already at Glencoe at the outbreak of war
Hussars 19th (Princess of Wales's Own) PANDUA 23 September 1899 Simla   Already at Ladysmith at the outbreak of war
Hussars 20th     Bombay December 1901 Durban
Hussars 3rd (King's Own)     India   Durban
Hussars 7th (Queen's Own) MANCHESTER MERCHANT 30 November 1901      
Hussars 8th (King's Royal Irish)   February 1900   March 1900  
King's (Liverpool Regiment) 1st Battalion BRAEMAR CASTLE       Already at Ladysmith at the outbreak of war
King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) 2nd Battalion DILWARA 2 December 1899   25 December 1899  
King's Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry) 2nd Battalion     Mauritius   Stationed in South Africa at the outbreak of war
King's Own Scottish Borderers 1st Battalion BRAEMAR CASTLE and GOORKHA beginning January 1900   26 January 1900 Cape
King's Royal Rifle Corps 1st Battalion         Stationed at Glencoe, in the North of Natal, at the outbreak of war
King's Royal Rifle Corps 2nd Battalion AVOCA 16-30 September 1899 India between 1 - 17 May 1899 Durban
King's Royal Rifle Corps 3rd Battalion SERVIA 4 November 1899   24 November 1899 Cape then Durban
King's Shropshire Light Infantry 2nd Battalion
7 November 1899      
Lancashire Fusiliers 2nd Battalion NORMAN 2 December 1899   19 December 1899 Cape
Lancers 12th (Prince of Wales's Royal) CITY OF VIENNA & MOHAWK     16 November 1899 Cape
Lancers 16th (Queen's)     Bombay 21 January 1900 Cape Colony
Lancers 17th (Duke of Cambridge's Own) VICTORIAN 14 February 1900   10 March 1900 Cape
Lancers 5th (Royal Irish)         Already at Ladysmith at the outbreak of war
Lancers 9th (Queen's Royal) WARDHA & NOWSHERA 25 September 1899 India    
Leicestershire Regiment 1st Battalion         Stationed at Glencoe, in the North of Natal, at the outbreak of war
Lincolnshire Regiment 2nd Battalion GOORKHA 4 January 1900   25 January 1900 Cape
Loyal North Lancashire Regiment 1st Battalion AVOCA   Ceylon between 1 and 14 May 1900 Stationed in South Africa at the outbreak of war
Manchester Regiment 1st Battalion GOTH 24 August 1899 Gibraltar 15 September 1899 Cape Town and on to Natal
Manchester Regiment 2nd Battalion BAVARIAN 16 March 1900   6 April 1900 Cape
Munster Fusiliers 1st Battalion         Stationed in South Africa at the outbreak of war
Munster Fusiliers 2nd Battalion   December 1901 India December 1901  
Norfolk Regiment 2nd Battalion ASSAYE 4 January 1900   23 January 1900 Cape
Northamptonshire Regiment 2nd Battalion   October 1899      
Northumberland Fusiliers 1st Battalion THE GAUL early October 1899 Southampton before 10 November 1899  
Northumberland Fusiliers 2nd Battalion KILDONAN CASTLE early November 1899   23 November 1899 Cape
Oxfordshire Light Infantry 1st Battalion GAIKA 22 December 1899   13 January 1900 Cape Town
Prince Albert's (Somersetshire Light Infantry) 2nd Battalion BRITON 5 December 1899   20 December 1899 Cape
Prince Albert's (Somersetshire Light Infantry) 2nd Battalion ORCANA 21 December 1899 Cape 21 December 1899 Durban
Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire Regiment) 2nd Battalion   January 1900   3 February 1900 Cape
Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians) 1st Battalion     Halifax 10 May 1900 Cape
Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians) 2nd Battalion     West Indies January 1902  
Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment) 2nd Battalion ROSLIN CASTLE 19 October 1899   8 November 1899 Cape then Durban (Arr 11th)
Prince of Wales's Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment) 1st Battalion CANADA 1 December 1899   20 December 1899 Cape
Princess Charlotte of Wales's (Royal Berkshire Regiment) 2nd Battalion         Stationed in Cape Colony, South Africa, at the outbreak of war
Princess Louise's (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) 1st Battalion ORCANA 27 October 1899   18 November 1899 Cape
Princess Victoria's Royal Irish Fusiliers 1st Battalion   24 September 1899 Alexandria, Egypt 12 October 1899 Durban
Princess Victoria's Royal Irish Fusiliers 2nd Battalion HAWARDEN CASTLE 23 October 1899   12 November 1899 Cape
Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) 2nd Battalion YORKSHIRE 19 October 1899   14 November 1899 Durban
Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) 2nd Battalion BAVARIAN 16 March 1900   6 April 1900 Cape
Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders 1st Battalion   3 March 1900 Egypt 23 March 1900  
Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) 1st Battalion GERMAN 28 October 1899   20 November 1899 Cape then Durban
Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) 2nd Battalion JELUNGA 2 October 1899 Crete 26 October 1899 Durban
Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) 4th Battalion   15 December 1901 England    
Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) Composite Rifle Battalion     Crete & South Africa    
Royal Army Medical Corps            
Royal Dublin Fusiliers 1st Battalion BAVARIAN 10 November 1899   28 November 1899 Cape then Durban
Royal Dublin Fusiliers 2nd Battalion         Stationed in South Africa at the outbreak of war
Royal Engineers            
Royal Field Artillery 13th Battery         Already in Natal at outbreak of war
Royal Field Artillery 14th Battery          
Royal Field Artillery 17th Battery       23 February 1900 Cape
Royal Field Artillery 18th Battery ZIBENGHLA Before outbreak of war      
Royal Field Artillery 19th Battery       1 January 1900 Durban
Royal Field Artillery 20th Battery          
Royal Field Artillery 21st Battery LALPOORA 19 September 1899 Bombay   Already at Ladysmith at the outbreak of war
Royal Field Artillery 21st Battery BOOLDANA 20 September 1899 Bombay   Already at Ladysmith at the outbreak of war
Royal Field Artillery 28th Battery         Went out with Vth Division
Royal Field Artillery 2nd Battery       12 February 1900 Cape
Royal Field Artillery 37th (Howitzer) Battery          
Royal Field Artillery 38th Battery          
Royal Field Artillery 39th Battery       14 February 1900 Cape
Royal Field Artillery 42nd Battery         Already at Ladysmith at the outbreak of war
Royal Field Artillery 43rd (Howitzer) Battery       24 February 1900 Cape
Royal Field Artillery 44th Battery       12 February 1900 Cape
Royal Field Artillery 4th Battery          
Royal Field Artillery 53rd Battery         Already at Ladysmith at the outbreak of war
Royal Field Artillery 5th Battery       23 February 1900 Cape
Royal Field Artillery 61st (Howitzer) Battery          
Royal Field Artillery 62nd Battery          
Royal Field Artillery 63rd Battery ISMORE       Lost their guns on the Ismore
Royal Field Artillery 64th Battery          
Royal Field Artillery 65th (Howitzer) Battery          
Royal Field Artillery 66th Battery          
Royal Field Artillery 67th Battery          
Royal Field Artillery 68th Battery       17 February 1900 Cape
Royal Field Artillery 69th Battery          
Royal Field Artillery 73rd Battery          
Royal Field Artillery 74th Battery          
Royal Field Artillery 75th Battery          
Royal Field Artillery 76th Battery       21 January 1900 Cape
Royal Field Artillery 77th Battery          
Royal Field Artillery 78th Battery          
Royal Field Artillery 79th Battery          
Royal Field Artillery 7th Battery       before 23 November 1899  
Royal Field Artillery 81st Battery       21 January 1900 Cape
Royal Field Artillery 82nd Battery       21 January 1900 Cape
Royal Field Artillery 83rd Battery       11 February 1900  
Royal Field Artillery 84th Battery       11 February 1900  
Royal Field Artillery 85th Battery       11 February 1900  
Royal Field Artillery 86th (Howitzer) Battery       23 February 1900  
Royal Field Artillery 87th (Howitzer) Battery       20 February 1900  
Royal Field Artillery 88th Battery       14 February 1900  
Royal Field Artillery 8th Battery       17 February 1900 Cape
Royal Field Artillery 9th Battery       23 February 1900 Cape
Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) 2nd Battalion PAVONIA   Gibraltar 18 November 1899 Cape
Royal Garrison Artillery 10th Mountain Battery         Already at Ladysmith at the outbreak of war
Royal Garrison Artillery 4th Mountain Battery          
Royal Garrison Artillery Heavy Batteries          
Royal Horse Artillery A Battery     India 5-7 February 1900 Natal
Royal Horse Artillery G Battery       before 11 December 1899  
Royal Horse Artillery J Battery       February 1900 Cape Colony
Royal Horse Artillery M Battery       20 March 1900 Cape
Royal Horse Artillery O Battery          
Royal Horse Artillery P Battery          
Royal Horse Artillery Q Battery          
Royal Horse Artillery R Battery          
Royal Horse Artillery T Battery          
Royal Horse Artillery U Battery          
Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers 1st Battalion CATALONIA 5 November 1899   30 November 1899 Cape then Durban
Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers 2nd Battalion     India Close of 1901  
Royal Irish Fusiliers 1st Battalion AVOCA 25 September 1899 Alexandria    
Royal Irish Regiment 1st Battalion GASCON 14 December 1899   7 January 1900 Cape
Royal Irish Rifles 2nd Battalion BRITANNIC 26 October 1899   14 November 1899 Cape
Royal Regiment of Artillery            
Royal Scots 1st Battalion         (Corps Troops)
Royal Scots Fusiliers 2nd Battalion PAVONA 22 October 1899   18 November 1899 Cape
Royal Sussex Regiment 1st Battalion     Malta 20 March 1900 Cape
Royal Warwickshire Regiment 2nd Battalion GAUL 26 November 1899   16 December 1899 Cape
Royal Welsh Fusiliers 1st Battalion ORIENTAL 22 October 1899   13 November 1899 Cape
Scots Guards 1st Battalion NUBIA 20 October 1899 Southampton 13 November 1899 Cape
Scots Guards 2nd Battalion BRITANNIC 15 March 1900   5 April 1900 Cape
Seaforth Highlanders (Duke of Albany's Ross-Shire Buffs) 2nd Battalion MONGOLIAN 21 October 1899   16 November 1899 Cape
Sherwood Foresters (Derbyshire Regiment) 1st Battalion   28 November 1899 Suez 14 December 1899  
South Staffordshire Regiment 1st Battalion AURANIA 18 March 1900   9 April 1900 Cape
South Wales Borders 2nd Battalion BAVARIAN 18 January 1900   3 February 1900  
Suffolk Regiment 1st Battalion SCOT early November 1899   28 November 1899 Cape
Welsh Regiment 1st Battalion KILDONAN CASTLE     22 November 1899 Cape
Worcestershire Regiment 1st Battalion BRAEMAR CASTLE 1 March 1900   8 April 1900 Cape
Worcestershire Regiment 2nd Battalion TINTAGEL CASTLE 16 December 1899 Southampton 8 January 1900 Cape Town
York and Lancaster Regiment 1st Battalion MAJESTIC 13 December 1900   30 December 1900 Cape

Last updated 11 May, 2010

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