'New South Wales Mounted Rifles, bound for Natal, South Africa', 1900.

One of a boxed set of stereoscope photographs which was produced for sale to the general public by a profesional firm of photographers, Underwood and Underwood. The Second Boer War (1899-1902) was the first war to be covered comprehensively by both film and still photography. This was the result of improved technology in both photographic equipment and printing techniques; cameras were more portable and magazines started to reproduce half-tone photographs. Troops from all corners of the British Empire fought in the war, Australians prominent amongst them. The New South Wales Mounted Rifles set sail for South Africa on 9th November 1899, and participated in the breaking of the siege of Kimberley in February 1900.