The author records the journey to South Africa, the progress towards the front line, and his first contact with the enemy on 25 June. The next two months relate long marches against an elusive enemy, with occasional outbursts against the author's superiors:

'14 Aug: Broadwood advanced against de Wet from the South, while Kitchener closed in from the East. We ... began to close in ... from the West. After waiting about till evening we heard that Oliphant's Nek had never been occupied by Ian Hamilton, as he was ordered and de Wet had walked straight through unopposed. So our trek of close to 100 miles in 60 hours, of which we were inspanned for 40 hours and slept for 6 was absolutely wasted.'

'19 Aug: we are running awfully short of forage ... because Kitchener collared a convoy destined for us and cleared it of every considerable thing, so that [the men] have no clothes, he is an awful Swine.'

The tempo of operations clearly slowed down soon afterwards and the diary thereafter is mainly concerned with administration, sport and social activities. Together with a typed transcript and a folder of explanatory notes giving more detailed background to the diary entries.