TOPIC:

Hi Frank,

as you say, exactly what was needed....you fight fire with fire!
The Australians like the South Africans were excellent shock troops and more in line with the Boer's style of fighting.

Kitchener was probably trying to take the media focus off himself after the concentration camp debacle and his numerous other situations he had caused.

regards, Iain

Hi Iain,
Yes, I agree with you, was not Morant, at one time, recomemended for the DSO, if I'd had been there, running the show, he would have received it!
Frank

Have been following this interesting topic..... I have also read of at least one other incident where a Canadian unit was approaching a farm flying a white flag and the people in the farm opened fire when they were close causing them to withdraw..... Returning later with a larger number of men taking the farm and then hanging the surviving Boers......

No charges were laid.....

Mike

Hello Mike,
I suspect by late 1901 this sort of thing was commonplace in the Transvaal.
Regards Frank

Hi Frank.....

This incident took place in mid 1900 and was mentioned in the original manuscript of Scapegoats of the Empire as one of the things mentioned by the defence in the trial.....

Mike

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