Australia informed Great Britain that would likely support the enlistment of volunteers to South Africa. The Victorian Commandant, Major General Holled Smith, a veteran of the humiliation at Majuba Hill, publicly declared his support of the idea of an Australian force.The growing idea that an ability to ride and shoot, combined with some degree of military training, was the fore-runner for the Mounted Riflemen. In the late 1890s, Major General Sir Charles Holled Smith believed that mounted rifles were 'essentially the arm for Australia. They know the country to be operated over, and they can ride'.Individual image from photographed poster of tobacco and cigarette cards.australia, great britain, south africa, volunteers, charle holled smith, majuba hill, mounted riflemen, commandant

In 1870 MacDonald joined the Inverness-shire Highland Rifle Volunteers and in 1871 enlisted in the 92nd Gordon Highlanders. He rose rapidly through the noncommissioned ranks. His distinguished conduct in the presence of the enemy during the Second Afghan War led to him being offered either a Victoria Cross or a commission with his regiment. He chose the latter. He served in the First Boer War and at the Battle of Majuba Hill made prisoner. At the Battle of Omdurman (1898), the British commander Lord Kitchener was assisted by the skillful manoeuvring of MacDonald and his men in overcoming the Dervishes. Due to this MacDonald was promoted to colonel, appointed an aide-de-camp to Queen Victoria and received a cash reward. In Scotland MacDonald was regarded the true hero of Omdurman, not Kitchener. In 1899 he was seconded to command a military district in India but with the outbreak of war in South Africa, he was ordered to command the Highland Brigade, under Lord Roberts and his Chief of Staff, Lord Kitchener. MacDonald arrived in Cape Town and assumed command of the Highland Brigade stationed at Modder River with rank of Major-general. He took part in the Battle of Paardeberg and later operations in Bloemfontein and Pretoria. In 1901 he was knighted as Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath In1902 he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of British Troops in Ceylon with the temporary rank of major-generalIndividual image taken from photographed poster of tobacco and cigarette cards.hector macdonald, highland rifle volunteers, gordon highlanders, noncommissioned, second afghan war, victoria cross, first boer war, battle of majuba hill, battle of omdurman, lord kitchener, lord roberts, aide-de-camp, queen victoria, dervishes, cape town, highland brigade, modder river, battle of paardeburg, bloemfontein, pretoria, knight commander of the order of the bath, commander-in-chief, ceylon