The Scottish National Red Cross Hospital was organised in the first instance by the St. Andrew's Ambulance Association and was funded by voluntary donations.

'The organisation of this hospital commenced in January 1900. It was organised, as stated, for 100 men and was subsequently expanded to 520, the personnel then consisting of an officer in charge, 18 civil medical officers, 1 Quartermaster, 1 Warrant Officer, 2 secretaries, 35 nursing sisters of the Army Nursing Service Reserve, 45 first-class orderlies, all of whom were medical students, and 57 second class orderlies, making a total of 160 ... The first section arrived at Cape Town on the 13th May [1900], and the hospital was opened for patients on 4th June 1900, at Kroonstadt. Previous to that time however, the hospital staff had been employed on duty in the military hospitals at Bloemfontein and Kroonstadt. It remained during the whole period at Kroonstadt, and its equipment was handed over to the Government, when it ceased to exist as a private hospital, on 14 October 1900.'