TOPIC:

Ultimately, the War Office must shoulder the blame, they did not consider even the mere possibility of the action the enemy chose to take from inception, that pre emptive course, was a risk that would not have made any sense whatsoever, notwithstanding, it's possibility should have been noted in 1898.

Brett Hendey wrote: Although only a Trooper in a Colonial regiment, it is interesting that Crosby, a man of the world ( angloboerwar.com/forum/13-miscellany/266...ith-diaries-4-crosby ), was able to give an accurate assessment of the military situation so early in the war. The two sentences preceding the last one in his diary entry are particularly telling. What would Colonel Park and other senior Imperial officers have made of them had they been in a position to read them on that day?

Park's feasting at the Headquarter's mess stands in stark contrast to the diary entries of Crosby and Miss Crow on the sorry state of the lower ranks and civilians in Ladysmith on 23 February. As usual, Park's comments on the condition of Ladysmith's inhabitants are limited to his own state of health and those of some of his officers,

Brett

The Boer War coming as it did at the end of the 19th Century coincided with major changes in the stark social differences between the officer class and the other ranks of Victoria's army. I recently acquired a book(see below) that has a well-referenced section describing the differences between the "Officers and Gentlemen" and the "Other Ranks" during the 19th Century. The officers led an ivory tower existence and "relied on the noncommissioned officers for a great deal of the leadership and management of the troops". Also while "junior officers cavorted, senior officers spent their time .... intriguing and calculating their chances of promotion."

Colonel Park was a product of his time. In his letters to his wife, he reveals how much his life in India and his prospects for promotion meant to him. He shows concern for the health of his officers, but there is little or no mention of the other ranks.

The situation in Colonial regiments was very different. For example, the officers and men of Natal's volunteer regiments were often friends and neighbours. Those in the regional squadrons of the Natal Carbineers and Border Mounted Rifles included a large number of farmers, so, while some may have been higher born than others, there was nothing to match the class differences evident in the Imperial army. The contempt that Colonel Park clearly felt for Colonial soldiers was based on no more than prejudice.

Brett

The book I referred to is:
Last Outpost and the Zulu Frontiers. Fort Napier and the British Imperial Garrison. by Graham Dominy.
University of Illinois Press, 2016.

1900 - From the diary of Major George Tatham, Natal Carbineers
 
Long Tom's usual shots mostly towards Caesar's Camp. Buller's guns going all day, some of his shells bursting on Pieter's Hill. Native boys came in with a small parcel of medical comforts. Naval guns fired a few shots during the night and early in the morning.

1900 - Diary of the siege of Mafeking by Edward Ross

Friday, 23 February

Owing to the enemy’s big gun not having fired yesterday, a rumour got about the town that the Boers had fixed up a dummy and the old one gone away. But these illusions and hopes were very soon dispelled as about breakfast-time she opened fire, and in quick succession planted six to the north of the railway for the purpose, it is said, of driving out a head of our cattle that were feeding there. They wasted their ammunition and did not gain their object. So much for their shooting. Big Ben did not again fire during the day, and the rain coming up before evening saved us their good-night shot.

Raining all the evening, miserable night for all our men in the trenches. Nothing of any note today. Enemy did not give us the expected hot time in memory of the Free State’s independence.