TOPIC:

Good morning Brett,
All is becoming clear, so he actually looked like a bit of biltong, now I am hoping you were not one of his rude pupils!
They sound like very happy days.
Frank

Brett Hendey wrote: Frank

"Biltong" was so named because he was thin and dessicated in appearance (and he had the misfortune of having rude pupils). His passion was the British settlement of Natal in the 1800's. He probably regarded the Boers and Zulus as unnecessary irritations in an otherwise perfect addition to the Empire. He was the author of the book, 'Englishman's Inn', which was published in 1963. I still have a copy (No. 69 of 1200). Judging from this book, he lost interest in Natal after it became a self-governing Colony in the 1890's. Perhaps it was then that the rot set in. "Biltong" emigrated to Australia long before it became fashionable for South Africans to do so, which is an indication that he was not as detached from reality as appearances had suggested.

Brett

It's the largest conflict in the british Empire between the Naploeonic Wars culminating in Waterloo 1815 and the 1914 start of the First World War. It lead directly to the Union of South Africa which set the current day boundaries of South Africa unchanged today.

Jon wrote: It's the largest conflict in the british Empire between the Naploeonic Wars culminating in Waterloo 1815 and the 1914 start of the First World War. It lead directly to the Union of South Africa which set the current day boundaries of South Africa unchanged today.

Indeed - the ramifications of the war were enormous, which makes it so interesting.

I was first attracted to the conflict as an under-graduate because it seemed under represented in publications and general interest - unlike other Victorian conflicts. And, after studying the war for 25 years there is still much to be discovered still.

Regards
Meurig

I am fairly new to the Boer War topic. I am interested to understand what made my two grandfathers into the people most of my family remember. I think I get it now.

A personal connection coupled with an enquiring nature has led me to research and collect in accord with that specific interest.

My interest was first kindled by a number of long conversations I had back in the late 1950's with a (very elderly) Boer War veteran who still worked as a wardsman in the hospital where I had a very minor job. He was a real courteous gentleman in the true sense of the word. I told him I was joining a rifle club and he talked about the Boer Mauser and it's "bracket loading", the best way to carry a rifle, pursuing the commandos as they broke up after a raid and certain other aspects of campaign life. Arthur A. Brown, NSW Citizen's Bushmen.
That led to looking in the local library for info on the campaign. No such luck. It appeared that OZ military history commenced in 1915. Much later (finds were tight) I ran into my first QSA (18H single clasp Talana) and was intrigued about the issue of bars for specific actions. Time passed and so did that QSA. Later military service saw my unit given considerable training in counter-guerilla warfare. The lectures given to us commenced with reference to the Boer commandoes - but there was very little info available otherwise. Later, after life had settled down, a study of the ABW looked to be a likely project for the quirky reason that no one seemed interested.
Things are certainly different now; with the volume of info available today being almost overwhelming. However, I never regretted my earlier decision. Unfortunately, I had to sell my previous medal collection for personal reasons; but I have made up for it since!
IL.