He entered the Staff College, Camberley at the beginning of 1899, but following the outbreak of the Second Boer War, he was sent to South Africa that November, to serve on the Inspector-General's staff. He saw service at the Relief of Kimberley and the Battle of Paardeberg (February 1900), where he was wounded; later, in April 1900, he was made adjutant of the 6th Battalion Mounted Infantry,Obituary in The Times and on 2 September 1900 promoted to major. In 1901, he took command of a mobile column, which he commanded to the end of the war. He received the local rank of lieutenant colonel whilst holding this command, on 27 January 1902. For his service in South Africa, he was mentioned in despatches twice and awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). Following the end of the war in June 1902, Fanshawe returned to the United Kingdom in the SS Dunottar Castle, which arrived at Southampton the following month.
