Sixth Contingent in South Africa

New Zealand troopers from the Sixth Contingent move across open plains in South Africa, 1901. This photograph was possibly taken by Private William Raynes, a Waikato farmer serving with No. 16 Company.

The open plains, known in Afrikaans as veldt, was where much of the conflict took place. Extreme temperatures made life tough for New Zealand troops out on the veldt. While trekking men would often be forced to endure severe daytime heat, while at night they would sleep out in the open with only an overcoat to keep the freezing cold at bay.

Soldiers on trek would often begin their day at 4 a.m. and break camp at 5.30 a.m. Following this they would spend up to 12 hours out on patrol. In order to preserve the strength of their mounts, the soldiers would alternate between riding and leading their horses by foot. Using this method, they could cover at least 30 km a day.