Hello Iain,

Yes I did finish it and can recommend it, it is fairly concise and detailed.
I was lucky enough to find it at a militaria fair and paid £3 so it not much of a gamble.
I keep coming back to it as a good source of reference so it was £3 well spent, may be worth a look on ebay, sometimes bargains to be had!

Paul iaindh wrote:

Hi Paul,

the copy available is for GBP10 but on your recommendation I'll go for it; I'm desparate for a good read plus it is a first edition and in good condition with dustcover!!!!

thanks again,

Iain

Iain,

If I think that is still a good price for a first edition, especially with the dust cover.
Hope you enjoy it, let me know your review in time.

Paul iaindh wrote:

While sorting out what can stay and what must go amongst my possessions, I paged through an ancient copy of Thomas Pakenham's 'The Boer War'. The preface to Chapter 3 amused me when I first read it, and it has amused me again, perhaps because I started my career as a geologist.

"Geologist to Kruger in 1886: 'Mr President, the conglomerate gold-beds and enclosing sandstones and quartzites were sea-shore deposits during the subsidence of a coast line in.....'
Kruger to his wife: 'Mama, meet the gentleman who was there when god made the earth."

This illustrates the differences of opinions that ultimately led to the Boer War. I wonder if the geologist was one of the 'Uitlander' refugees in Pietermaritzburg who in September 1899 joined the Imperial Light Horse, my favourite regiment?

Brett

Ja, but Oom Paul didnt mind taxing the Uitlanders 75% (?) of their gold revenue to line the Transvaal Republic's Governments pockets and also to use the money to buy arms in order to invade the Cape and Natal.
I actually have no sympathy for Kruger, its so sad though that so many British and Empire soldiers lost their lives for one man's greed! He didnt want to share with the Uitlanders and you're probably right in the assumption that the Geologist may have been one of the Fighting Five Hundred; the ILH is also my favourite regiment.

But without his greed there would have been no Boer war and no Forum.......

Iain

Gentlemen,
I am with you both on the Imperial Light Horse, but please don't forget the uitlander's in the Imperial Light Infantry ( what would Col Nash say!) they did just as well and only existed for a very brief period in time.
Frank
Brett Hendey wrote: