Boer War

I am a new member and would like to know if it is possible to contact Bulldog 69? I have never come across anyone whose views on the Boer War so echo my own. I do have knowledge of the Boer War (I researched and co-wrote Empire and Eclips which was aired on the SABC for the Boer War Centenary.) At about that time I met Alby James, a black film academic who visited South Africa from England and suggested the real story of the Boer War was why Britain 'sold out' the blacks. I have researched it ever since. It is a fascinating story but I need a co-writer/editor. I hope to interest Bulldog69 in the project.

Changing tack here, has anyone else researched German involvement in South Africa? It is vast and well documented. Even the Kaiser's pro-Boer attitude following the Jameson Raid has been downplayed. It seems strange that famous historians (e.g.Pakenham) don't mention the connection. I have done a timeline of German interaction with the Boers, from the 1870s to 1914. Each action is supported by evidence. One of the most dangerous German attempts at sabotaging post-Boer-War amity between Britain and Boer is reported by Winston Churchill.

Yes, according to one expert, from memory Churchill, European countries supplied an enormous amount of arms and ammunition, enough for every Boer man woman and child who lived in both the Boer republics, as well as those who lived in the British colonies - so rebellion was also a threat. They were of French and German origin mainly, although other European countries contributed. France supplied the huge Creusot gums which did such damage in the early stages, such as the Siege of Ladysmith. There is apparently a monument to Sir Redvers Buller in his native Devon which states that he saved Natal, but his role is in doubt. The honour should go to (then) Captain Percy Scott of the R.N., brilliant and fiery, who converted the naval guns to be used in the defence of Ladysmith. Without them there is little doubt Ladysmith would have been lost, which could have altered the course of the war.

Great shot of a Long Tom. I didn't know the Boers had a limited amount of shells. I'd guess that was because the Boers' main port, Delagoa Bay in Portuguese East Africa had a heavy British naval presence during the war, due to some sort of accord between them and the Portuguese. Of course the three besieged towns also had a shortage of shells! There must have been some sort of 'gentlemanly aspect' to the war because the British garrison at Ladysmith were apparently vastly impressed by the Boers' ability to get the big guns into place up the hills surrounding Ladymith. Guess their good humour didn't last too long after they started getting hammered, although they did give nicknames to all the Boers' guns.

Yeah, Nick. From what I've read, the Creusots could fire over five miles. The British had nothing that came near, except those naval guns that came into Ladysmith on the last train before the Boers besieged them. They were not in the same league but were powerful enough to prevent being overrun. There was a brave attempt to put a Long Tom out of action; a patrol into Boer territory led by an Australian, 'Karri' Davies, and some damage was done to the big gun, but nothing that coulnd't be repaired. And it is true: the Boers did fire a big Christmas pudding into Ladysmith on Christmas Day. By January Ladysmith had run out of medical supplies and the cavalry's horses were being killed for food. The staff and patients at the hospital camp Intombi, were suffering almost beyond human endurance with a rapidly growing typhoid epidemic and continual deaths. Ten Royal Red Crosses were awarded to the nurses in the aftermath; I have read it was the largest amount of RRC ever awarded to a single group of nurses (there were probably less than twenty nurses.)

Good on ya, Nick, as they say here in Oz. (I lived in South Africa for thirty six years and became fascinated with Winston Churchill's story at the Boer War: I believe he was involved in more of the politics surrounding the war than has come to light.) I'm not really au fait with much of the war, mostly the Natal campaign, the whys and wherefores it came about and the peace treaty and aftermath.

Winston Churchill had overweening ambition which, combined with a formidable analytical brain and a seer-like ability to predict the future, made him famous by the time he was 25. He continually sought opportunities to become famous and at the Boer War, chance and boldness combined to make him famous 'to the uttermost ends of the earth.' From the time his father (Lord Randolph Churchill) died when he was 20, he had ruthlessly used his mother's connections to try and win fame, (she had been one of the Prince of Wales' 'friends' for donkeys years and knew everyone who was worth knowing.) But in the end, with his capture from the armoured train and escape from the Boers, his fame was all his own doing. (It was he who had urged Captain Haldane in charge of the train to go into Boer-held territory.) Likeable he may not have been, but he felt he was born under a lucky star and so much of his life bears this out. He had extraordinary luck during his escape and his arrival in Durban was similar to a fait accompli. Other people escaped from Boer imprisonment without any fanfare. He rocked up back in Durban (by ship from Delagoa Bay in Portuguese East Africa)just after Black Week at the beginning of the war, when the Boers had knocked the stuffing out of the British army in three disastrous battles. British spirits couldn't have been lower and in extraordinary style, Churchill escape caused excessive gaety and he was feted and treated like a conquering hero. He had had his 25th birthday in custody. But right from his arrival in South Africa, he had made his mark.   Sorry, probably too much info, I can't stop when I get started on Churchill.

Re. knocking out the Boer Guns. The RN long-range guns continually 'knocked out' the Boer guns at Ladysmith, but with their 'matchless impudence' the Boer gunners simply ran up a white flag, removed their casualties and re-sited their gun. Their disrespect for the white flag was mind-blowing.

The RA 15-lbers couldn't get close to the Boer guns during the siege, and - as JAJ rightly says - it was only the RN guns that saved Ladysmith.

Edited by Bulldog69 - 18-Oct-2011 at 10:08

The Long Tom fired a 96lb shell, while the RN guns only from (from memory) fired about a 40lb projectile - but they were very well handled. The officer in charge of one RN piece (Lt. Egerton) had his legs blown off him by a Boer shell and casually remarked that, as such, his 'cricketing days are over' as he was being stretchered off. He had the remains amputated and seemed cheerful enough that evening, sitting up and enjoying a cigarette and glass of champagne - though the brave bugger died in the night.

Edited by Bulldog69 - 18-Oct-2011 at 09:59

Bulldog, I am in awe of your knowledge. I lack the technical edge, mine is more general than specific. (Like the Indian who was assigned to ring a bell to notify the town when a Long Tom was fired.) Only recently I discovered that apart from the British garrison, there was literally thousands of women and children in Ladysmith at the time of besiegement. I would take a guess that this was because there was no place for them to go. After all English speakers from the British colonies or the many thousands of 'uitlanders' or those arriving for the Johannesburg gold rush were ordered out of the Transvaal, the towns beyond the Transvaal border were packed to capacity. But the amount of women and children in Ladysmith makes the Boers' attempt to dam the Klip River and flood the town all the more horrifying. I am surprised that the Boer Commandant, General Joubert allowed it; he seemed such a gentleman (too kind to be a good general) and had he not died, he would have been called to explain why Ladysmith sustained as little damage as it did. His successor, Louis Botha (as you know, to become South Africa's first Prime Minister) was one of the Boer War's most innovative generals and was also a fair-minded gentleman. He used to receive visitors in his tent lying down, perhaps influenced by Zulu tradition where it is good manners to remain in an inferior or more humble position to your guests or people you consider your superior. In the Boer retreat from Natal the veld was fired and all the bridges dynamited, costing the British government at a guess about a million pounds, but Botha could have ordered the dynamiting of the Natal coal mines which would have been even more disastrous.

Had a good laugh about some of your observations and will make a few comments in my next post. Thank you, will also email you.