In Support of the "Imperial Mission"? Volunteering for the South African War, 1899-1902

In mid-December 1899, the British army suffered three consecutive defeats in the opening phase of the Second Anglo-Boer War in South Africa. The government responded to the events of "Black Week" by calling for able-bodied men willing to abandon their homes and families and risk their lives to serve their country. Although some men who answered the call joined the regular army, most who traveled overseas opted for a shorter term of enlistment in the Volunteers, Militia, and Imperial Yeomanry. This article examiness the extent to which patriotism informed the decision-making process of these recruits.