TOPIC:

1901 - Boer Governments meet at Waterval, near Standerton.
1902 - General Lyttelton takes over the South African command from Lord Kitchener.

From the diary of Lt Burne, RN:

Moved away from this spot the same way we came, and had no incident except hard (p. 076) marching; we passed Sandspruit on the Pretoria line, which we found undefended. Lees, the Naval A.D.C., here came up and told Captain Jones that the General wanted him. He rode off in a great hurry, first asking self and Halsey whether our small commandos wanted to stop or go off. We both replied "Stop, and see it out." Captain Jones came back to say that the Forte men and the Natal Naval Volunteers were to be withdrawn, and the 4.7 guns to be turned over to the military; we are to remain. He did not seem to know whether to be glad or sorry but told us that Admiral Harris had wired to the Commander-in-Chief that he wanted the Forte men for an expedition up the Gambia on the west coast. Such is the Naval Service, here one day and off the next.

Burne's diary entry gives an insight into the scale of the British command structure and the complexity and demands of running the Empire. 'Here today and tomorrow off' to the Gambia or China or India etc etc. By contrast, the Boers had simply to go back to their nearby homes and not necessarily because someone ordered them to do so. Perhaps all wars should be fought by men who were allowed to go home when they got fed-up or homesick.

Brett