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Hello Iain,
Regarding Morant, I believe I had read it somewhere, but, I could well be wrong, with regards to the 21st October 1899, I think that those particular Boers had sworn to kill any lancer that fell into their hands!
Regards Frank

iaindh wrote: I was trying to follow up on Frank's point about the DSO recommendation but found no evidence to support it, (thats not to say it wasn't the case,) but I read the Wikepedia entry on Morant and its seems he & Captain Hunt restored order to a somewhat anarchic BVC unit when they took over, discharging several wrongdoers. It was these men who implicated Morant.

There were many instances of Boers being shot for wearing Khaki and as early as Elandslaagte, of abusing the white flag. You may recall the cavalry who dealt with those Boers fleeing the field after Elandslaagte showed no quarter.

Iain

Hi Frank,

you could well be right, there was an instance though, earlier in the battle where a white flag was raised then dropped.

The Boers did run though when the Lancers appeared at the finale so perhaps they had an aversion to being stuck like pigs!

regards Iain

Frank is quite correct.

The number of atrocities being committed by both sides was escalating. Coverage by the English press was becoming shrill in condemnation. Something had to be done. What better way than make an example?

This, to a degree worked. The scale of atrocities on both sides was considerably scaled back, and the home press temporarily had the wind taken out of their sails.

I have decided to resurrect this post as I recently read the book "shoot straight you bastards" about Breaker Morant and again the Canadian Scouts came up.

It was apparently after Major "Gat" Howard was accepting the surrender of Boers who had raised the white flag and subsequently treacherously shot by them, that the Scouts took the oath. This version differs to the previous account but they, after taking the oath, interpreted Kitchener's differently in that they didn't accept the surrender of any Boers, rather making them fight to the end.

Morant on the other hand, accepted the surrender of Boers but after Major Hunt's murder and mutilation, shot any Boers who surrendered to his unit, as per Kitchener's orders.

It seems also that Kitchener, that man again, was covering his tracks by having Morant and Handcock shot and the other real villain was a Captain "Bulala" Taylor from whom Morant probably took his orders. (Bulala means killer in Pedi.)

regards, Iain

Hello Iain,
Tell me, why your special interest in all this, it happened back then and indeed, throughout history, in particular in the 20th century, moreover, it still happens to this day.
Regards Frank

Hi Frank,

must I lie on the couch while I answer

Seriously though, there hasn't been too many British Officers executed; probably also Morant being the likeable rogue but the injustice more than anything.

Bulala Taylor had a farm in Rhodesia, stole confiscated Boer cattle and took them over the border. He was the local intelligence officer and confidant of Kitchener, CJR and Baden Powell, but also ran the show in the Spelonken area.

regards, Iain