ABSTRACT
The Victorian Army entered the Second South African War with regiments well disciplined but still holding the belief that thorough training in the traditional tactics of square, echelon, line and volley infantry, with a line-up of guns in the open at the front to provide overwhelming fire power, in turn followed by a dashing cavalry charge, would all once again bring victory. Food supplies varied: in some areas the wagon trains arrived safely and units were well fed; elsewhere, officers and men marched for days on bully beef and biscuits. All regiments were now issued with two Maxim machine-guns an issue not welcomed by many of the more traditional officers and sword cavalry regiments received a new pointed sword. In the artillery, the distinction between the Royal Horse Artillery (RHA), Royal Field Artillery (RFA) and Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) remained. Staff officers were now trained in common standardised operational procedures and responsibilities.
