This article explores various connections between Effingham and events in South Africa in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, especially relating to the 2nd Boer War. Several Effingham men served in this conflict, two being killed in action. Notable Effingham figures such as Admiral Frederick Augustus Maxse and George Craig Saunders Pauling also became entangled in it. Finally, an Effingham horse reputedly served in the war and entered our village’s written folklore.