TOPIC:

A farmer in the Orange Free State has privately published a small, but remarkable book on the Boer War It is:

With Saint Barbara in South Africa. Field Notes of the Anglo-Boer War. By Captain Otto von Lossberg, Battery Commander of the Boer Artillery.

The book contains several interesting prefaces and postscripts about von Lossberg, with explanations of the circumstances and the family members who saw to the book's publication. The 'Field Notes' themselves give what is perhaps a unique insight into the events and personalities of the War by a foreign officer serving with the Boers. Captain von Lossberg was a German artillery officer who emigrated to the United States, where he was described as a "prominent military journalist". His 'Field Notes' were published in German in 1903, and now for the first time they can read in English.

I found the book both very interesting and very informative.

Other remarkable facts about this book are that it is available only from the man who had it published, and some copies are still available from him at no cost.

It is clearly inappropriate to publish this man's name and contact details on an open forum, so anyone interested in acquiring a copy should send me an e-mail or Private Message and I will pass on the relevant information to them.

Brett

Good heavens Brett, quite frankly, I do think Hauptmann Von Lossberg would have sounded rather more suitably Wagnerian.

My "go to " book is the "Veterinary History". To my mind a much under quoted reference. Not only is Smith an excellent writer and knowledgeable too but he presents the war in a different perspective.





Here is his description of Sanna's Post. The devastation. Imagine a 1000 odd corpses littering the battlefield.

I have been researching Maxwell's orderly Dost Mohamed Khan and bought a copy of his letters. ( Now available on Kindle ). He was ADC to Kitchener and presents a intimate portrait of the man in his letters to his mother.






Several pages of his action ( and that of Khan ) at Sanna's post

'Edward Wakefield. Aviator, Soldier, Philanthropist.' Written, and researched, by his great grandson, John Gordon, this booklet (40 pages, including the covers) is attractively designed, and well-written and -produced.

Edward Wakefield is probably best remembered now for being a pioneer in the design and production of seaplanes, but, before that, he was a Lieutenant in a Volunteer Company of the Border Regiment during two spells in South Africa. His Boer War career takes up four pages, with the author being able to draw from Edward's correspondence home. There are three ABW-related photographs, excellently reproduced.

The booklet was published late last year, but Pie Powder Press's website doesn't list it as still being in stock. My copy came from Kendal library last week, at a cost of £5. allevents.in/kendal/edward-wakefield-avi...st/1620247834909123#

Recommendation? For £5, how can you go wrong?!

'The Boer War' by Martin Bossenbroek who won the Libris/Dutch National History Prize 2013. Primarily deals with the Dutch involvement in the war and the experiences of Willem Leyds, Denys Reitz and Winston Churchill. Easy reading and recommended.