Sudan & South African ContingentsPrint Page 
In February 1885, news was received in Sydney of the death of General Charles Gordon at Khartoum during the Dervish revolt. The following day, the Colony of New South Wales offered up a contingent to serve alongside British forces.
The force included an infantry battalion made up largely from volunteers from the First NSW Regiment. There was no security of troop movements in those days. At Bathurst, some 2000 persons gathered at the railway station to farewell their 14 volunteers and a reported 200,000 cheered themselves hoarse at Circular Quay. The two troopships, Iberian and Australasian pulled out on 3 March, just 15 days after the force was accepted. The force finally disembarked at the Red Sea port of Suakin on 29 March 1885.
As part of the British Empire, the Australian colonies offered troops for the war in South Africa. Australians served in contingents raised by the six colonies or, from 1901, by the new Australian Commonwealth.
Location
| Address: | Argyle & Lower Fort Streets, The Garrison Church, Millers Point, 2000 |
|---|---|
| State: | NSW |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -33.858433 Long: 151.205539 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Plaque |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Conflict |
| Sub-Theme: | Multiple |
| Approx. Event Start Date: | 1899 |
| Approx. Event End Date: | 1902 |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Sunday 9th December, 1956 |
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S • A • S • A
1899 1902
The South - - African War
To commemorate the first Colonial soldiers to go to the assistance of the homeland Soudan Contingents 1885 and the South African Contingents 1899-1902 Presented by the South African Soldiers Association of New South Wales Australia
Dedicated Dec. 9th 1956
