Following the defeat of the Afrikaner republics still the Boers held out , forming small commando units and conducting a campaign of guerrilla warfare to disrupt British troop movements and lines of supply . This new phase of resistance led to further recruiting in the Australian colonies and the raising of the Bushmen 's Contingents , with these soldiers usually being volunteers with horse @-@ riding and shooting skills , but little military experience . After Federation in 1901 , eight Australian Commonwealth Horse battalions of the newly created Australian Army were also sent to South Africa , although they saw little fighting before the war ended . Some Australians later joined local South African irregular units , instead of returning home after discharge . These soldiers were part of the British Army , and were subject to British military discipline . Such units included the Bushveldt Carbineers which gained notoriety as the unit in which Harry " Breaker " Morant and Peter Handcock served in before their court martial and execution for war crimes .