Among the soldiers who left Wairarapa to fight in South Africa were many farm–born and raised young men. John Duckett junior, born in 1882 at his parents' Mikimiki farm, was one such young man. He was selected for the Seventh New Zealand Contingent, described as a...

During the Boer War all sorts of New Zealand men enrolled. Some were caught up in the wave of patriotic fever that swept through the country, while others looked upon it as a chance to take part in a foreign adventure. Among those who enrolled to serve in 1901 was a...

When the New Zealand troops left for South Africa in October 1899 there was no contingent from Wairarapa, although there were some soldiers with local connections. In late December 1899 registrations of interest from prospective members were called for and many local...

When the First Contingent of New Zealand soldiers to serve overseas embarked for the trip to South Africa, Wellington was decked out for a parade, and the town was crowded with visitors from all over the colony, including many from Wairarapa. The cause of the war was...