The Boer wars 1881, 1898 to 1903

[Bromhead24]

In this section we can discuss the 1st and 2nd Boer wars, 1881, 1898 thru to 1903.

[Greg C.]

where did they take place?

[MrLouisiana]

South Africa, I believe.

[Greg C.]

thats right, i forgot.

[Bromhead24]

Alot of both wars were fought in and around the Zulu war territory.

I have many photo's to post as soon as i unpack from the move.


Mike

[Bromhead24]

Here are some photos of various Boer war battle fields from the first and second Boer wars.

[Bromhead24]

Some Austrailians in the second Boer War.

[neferetus]

The Gordon Highlanders encampment at the 2007 Riverside
Dickens Festival, held February 3 thru 5. They fired off a
few volleys with their Martini Henrys, as well as a Gatling Gun.
They were supposed to have seen service in the Boer War.

[Bromhead24]

neferetus said:

The Gordon Highlanders encampment at the 2007 Riverside
Dickens Festival, held February 3 thru 5. They fired off a
few volleys with their Martini Henrys, as well as a Gatling Gun.
They were supposed to have seen service in the Boer War.

They fought at the battle of Majuba Hill (got their butts kicked by the Boers)

[neferetus]

I wonder how it must've felt to get their butts kicked, while wearing kilts.? Well...I don't really wonder.

[Bromhead24]

Battle of Majuba Hill


British Regiments:
Royal Navy:
15th Hussars.
Royal Artillery
58th Regiment: later 2nd Battalion, the Northamptonshire Regiment and now the Royal Anglian Regiment.
2nd Battalion, 60th Rifles: now the Royal Green Jackets.
92nd Highlanders: later 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders and now the Highlanders.
Majuba is not a British Battle Honour.

Combatants: British against the Boers of the Transvaal

Generals: Major General Sir George Pomeroy Colley against Commandant General J.P. Joubert.
Size of the armies: Colley’s British force comprised only 22 officers and 627 men.

In early February 1881 Major General Sir George Colley, the British High Commissioner for South East Africa, lay at Newcastle in Natal ready to move up the road towards the Transvaal where the Boers were in revolt against British rule. The Boer demands were for self-rule under the overall suzerainty of Britain.

Substantial reinforcements were on the way to South Africa, but carried the disadvantage for Colley of bringing a senior general, Sir Frederick Roberts, to supercede him. Colley moved with the forces he had and suffered his first defeat at Laing’s Nek.

On 7th February 1881 Colley tried again, moving forward to the Ingogo River where he suffered another sharp reverse at the hands of the Boer riflemen. On 12th February 1881 Brigadier General Sir Evelyn Wood VC, a veteran of Britain’s colonial wars, arrived at Durban with regiments hurried over from India: the 15th Hussars, 2nd/60th Rifles and the 92nd Highlanders. Coming up with Colley, Wood persuaded him to stay put until the substantial reinforcements from Britain arrived at the front. Wood moved back to the Tugela River to organise the newly arriving troops.

Colley did not intend to comply with the compact he had made with Wood and on the night of 26th February 1881 he marched out, towards the Boer positions, with a small force of infantry: 22 officers and 627 men of the 58th Regiment, 60th Rifles, 92nd Highlanders and the Royal Navy contingent. This small force moved towards the Boer camp which lay on the far side of Mount Majuba.

2 companies of the 2nd/60th were left as a picket at the base of Mount Imguela on the way to Majuba with a dismounted troop of the 15th Hussars and 2 more companies of infantry a little further along the road.

The British force reached the top of Majuba Hill in the early morning and, exhausted, fell to the ground on the plateau that stretched the length of the oblong summit. Little was done to prepare a position.
As dawn broke the Boers, encamped to the North East on lower ground, were in consternation at seeing the British above them. In trepidation they awaited an attack on their camp, but Colley did nothing.

Regaining their confidence the Boers began to work their way up the several sides of Majuba, while older marksmen covered them, picking off any soldier who appeared on the skyline and pinning down the British force. As the Boers moved up the sides of Majuba, the small size of Colley’s force became apparent.
The British had not occupied the whole summit and the Boers were able to infiltrate to the top, bringing fire on the British troops from higher sections of the plateau. British casualties mounted. There was little coordinated command. Lieutenant (later General) Ian Hamilton urged Colley to charge the Boer line, but the general procrastinated, saying “Wait, wait.”

Finally the British infantry, suffering considerable loss, broke and fled from the top of the mountain, leaving a small group of 92nd Highlanders to be surrounded and captured. At the time of the break, Sir George Colley was shot dead. The troops rushed to the bottom of the hill, falling back on the picket companies which were themselves enveloped by the Boers, now mounted and in pursuit. Only a heavy bombardment from the Royal Artillery guns in the main camp stemmed the Boer advance. The battle was over.
Of the small British force 283 became casualties. Boer casualties are not known but are likely to have been trifling.

[neferetus]

Great info, Mike. It's funny, those Highlander fellers at the Dickens Festivsal did not mention this battle at all.

[drunkenlout]

That's because they (we) reenact the Battle of El Tel Kebir, Egypt, 1882.
Cheer
SD

[Bromhead24]

Welcome Stan, We hope you like it here.. ;D


Mike

[Bromhead24]

My latest Boer War repro item...I love it!!

[neferetus]

Nice attention to detail!

[Bromhead24]

I have a pretty fair collection of british foreign service helmets...have two ordered and when they arrive, i'll take photos

[neferetus]

drunkenlout said:

That's because they (we) reenact the Battle of El Tel Kebir, Egypt, 1882.
Cheer
SD

Yes, Welcome, Stan. Please give us details of the reenactment. (And photos, if you have them.)

[Greg C.]

neferetus said:

drunkenlout said:

That's because they (we) reenact the Battle of El Tel Kebir, Egypt, 1882.
Cheer
SD

Yes, Welcome, Stan. Please give us details of the reenactment. (And photos, if you have them.)

Yes, pics are always welcome!

[Bromhead24]

Here is the true story of Breaker Morant as written by Lt. George witton Bushveldt carbineers

I will try to space it out. Enjoy.

INTRODUCTION. This book is dedicated to my fellow-citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia, in grateful recognition of their loyal, continuous, and successful efforts towards my release from an English prison. I have not attempted to defend the doings of the ill-starred Bushveldt Carbineers, or the policy of those who employed them. The methods of dealing with prisoners, which have been solely attributed to that corps, were in active operation before the so-called "Australian" officers went to the Spelonken district--a fact which the English press, and a large section of the Australian press, systematically ignored. When I arrived in Australia, I found that the grossest misrepresentations had been made by those primarily responsible for the manner of the warfare which "staggered humanity," and that they had succeeded in linking the name of Australia with the most tragic and odious incidents connected with a mercenary and inglorious war. If the publication of the truth will in some measure cause Australians, as a people, to take less on trust where their honour is concerned, and in future to demand the most searching enquiries and obtain definite proof before accepting the misdeeds of others as their own, then this record of an eventful experience will not have been written in vain. GEORGE R. WITTON. "THE ELMS." LANCEFIELD, VICTORIA. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Volunteering to Fight "For the Empire" CHAPTER II. The Voyage to Africa CHAPTER III. Round About Beira CHAPTER IV. On the Sick List CHAPTER V. The Australians in Cape Town CHAPTER VI. Commissioned in the Bushveldt Carbineers CHAPTER VII. The Origin of the Carbineers CHAPTER VIII. What Led to the Trouble CHAPTER IX. Death of Captain Hunt--Morant's Reprisals CHAPTER X. By Order--"No Quarter!" CHAPTER XI. Morant's Creditable Exploit CHAPTER XII. Ordered for Court-Martial CHAPTER XIII. Beyers--And the Flag he Slept On CHAPTER XIV. Further Proceedings of Court-Martial CHAPTER XV. Close of the Visser Case CHAPTER XVI. The Eight Boers Case CHAPTER XVII. The Second Court-Martial--Continued CHAPTER XVIII. In the Name of Justice! CHAPTER XIX. The German Missionary Case CHAPTER XX. Execution of Morant and Handcock CHAPTER XXI. "Imprisonment for Life!" CHAPTER XXII. Gaol Discipline and Prison Blunders CHAPTER XXIII. The Petition for Release CHAPTER XXIV. The Long Suspense CHAPTER XXV. Freedom at Last! SCAPEGOATS OF THE EMPIRE CHAPTER I. VOLUNTEERING TO FIGHT "FOR THE EMPIRE." When war was declared between the British and Boers, I, like many of my fellow-countrymen, became imbued with a warlike spirit, and when reverses had occurred among the British troops, and volunteers for the front were called for in Australia, I could not rest content until I had offered the assistance one man could give to our beloved Queen and the great nation to which I belong. When the first Australian Contingent was being prepared for active service, I was a gunner in the Royal Australian Artillery, and was stationed at Fort Franklin, opposite Queenscliff, Victoria. I was sworn to serve for five years in the Artillery, and this gave me little hope that my wish to go to Africa would be realised. But one day a notice appeared in brigade orders that a limited number of artillerymen would be selected for service at the front, all applicants to parade on the jetty at Portsea in full marching order. Between thirty and forty attended. Soon the launch "Mars" put in an appearance from Queenscliff with Lieut.-Colonel Charles Umphelby, O.C.R.A.A., on board. (Lieut.-Colonel Umphelby was killed on active service at Driefontein in 1900.) The O.C. inspected the men, and picked out one here and there; when he came to me he