military history

History of the Boer Wars Kitchener’s predecessor:2 treated with no less consideration than 1880 - 1902 ‘There are no more great battles to were the Boers who were responsible for The commenced be won, the war has degenerated into similar outrages. The Boers were usually on 11 October 1899, and was fought guerrilla warfare’. set free by their own military courts In Defence of 6 in three distinct phases. During and later by civilian courts.’ the first phase the Boers were in The Bushveldt Carbineers (BVC) the ascendancy. In their initial The task of hunting down the James Francis Thomas offensive moves, 20,000 Boers swept remaining Boer commandos required new Born on 25 August 1861, Thomas Breaker Morant into British Natal and encircled the and irregular military formations. These attended school in Sydney and strategic rail junction at Ladysmith. new formations were to be manned, in graduated in law from Sydney University. In the following weeks, Boer troops the most part, by colonial troops who He established a law firm in Tenterfield A Review of Major James Francis Thomas, besieged the townships of Mafeking had won a reputation for independence, and became a notable community leader. and Kimberley. Phase 1 reached its initiative and ‘hardness’. Qualities which ‘In Tenterfield the sort of law that needed climax in what has become known matched those of the bittereinders. practising was pretty straightforward, Defending Officer as ‘Black Week’ – 10 to15 December Morant, Handcock and Witton wills, conveyancing, bills of sale, nothing 1899. In this one week, three British joined the BVC and served along side dramatic or outstanding.’7 In addition Commander James Unkles, RANR Four men from Australia who joined imprisonment following military Courts armies, each seeking to relieve the volunteers from United States, New to his social pursuits, Thomas took If you encounter any Boers, You the Boer war were to be connected by Martial in 1902. besieged townships, suffered massive Zealand, Great Britain and Canada. The active interest in regional politics, really must not loot ‘em, And, if you destiny in events that still intrigue This article attempts to review and humiliating defeats in the BVC was one of many irregular units the movement towards Federation wish to leave these shores, For pity’s historians to this day. Harry ‘Breaker’ the experiences of Major Thomas, battles of Stormberg, Magersfontein that fought with the British during the and all things military. He joined the sake, don’t shoot ‘em. Morant, Peter Handcock, George a mounted infantry officer from and Colenso. war. In the words of Arthur Davey: local Upper Clarence Light Horse as a Harry ‘Breaker’ Morant Ramsdale Witton and James Francis Tenterfield who joined British Forces These defeats shook the British ‘The Bushveldt Carbineers came into volunteer and then commissioned into Thomas were to meet in circumstances as a volunteer and ended up defending Empire. In response, Britain being in 1901 for a particular purpose, the New South Wales (NSW) Mounted that saw Morant and Handcock six officers, including Breaker Morant despatched two regular divisions the subjugation of an out laying area Infantry Regiment based in Tenterfield. executed and Witton sentenced to life on charges of shooting Boer prisoners and replaced the ill-starred General of the Northern Transvaal in which In 1894, Thomas completed his training Sir Redvers Buller, with the Empire’s there was sporadic guerrilla activity. In at the Cavalry School of Instruction, most eminent soldier, Field Marshall the language of our time, it was to be promoted to First Lieutenant and Lord Roberts VC, as its commander in a counter insurgency unit’.3 In its short took command of the Tenterfield . These changes marked life span, the BVC was an effective Half Company (A). In 1895, he was the commencement of Phase 2. During fighting formation. Its detachments, promoted to Captain. He purchased the this phase, the British wrestled the unencumbered by transport wagons, local newspaper, the Tenterfield Times ascendancy back from the Boers, travelled light and fast. Initiative and and used it to support the cause of destroying the main Boer forces and combative spirit were evident on more Australian federation. capturing Pretoria. At this point, it than one occasion.’4 In South Africa, Thomas was the was assumed that the war was as good The BVC had a reputation for Officer Commanding A Squadron, as over. Lord Roberts departed South rough play and military action, often New South Wales Citizen’s Bushmen. Africa in November 1900 to receive undisciplined but effective in fighting He sailed for South Africa on 28 the plaudits of a grateful empire, a guerrilla war. February 1900 and disembarked on leaving General Lord Kitchener the ‘The Bushweldt Carbineers certainly 12 April 1900. His squadron served task of mopping up the remnant Boer had its share of rough characters and at the relief of Mafeking. Thomas forces. The phase of set-piece battles scoundrels but these were just the type then served with Colonel Plumer in and sieges was, indeed, over but the of men wanted for the job.’5 the General Baden Powell column. fighting was not. The BVC’s reputation for fighting a Thomas also served with A Squadron Kitchener reacted to the guerrilla guerrilla war under British command as part of the Elands river garrison operations by burning Boer farms, created circumstances in which the that was besieged by a large number rounding up civilians and confining line between ‘war crimes’ and fighting of Boers under the command of de la them in ‘Concentration Camps’ and to meet conditions adopted by the Rey. He distinguished himself with by building block-houses to defend Boers, became blurred. Author, William three Mentioned in Dispatches and supply points. He then extended Woolmore explained it as follows: the Queen’s Medal with four clasps. the block-house system into a grid ‘There is no question that war crimes He was promoted to the rank of Major. pattern across the Transvaal, bottling were committed by members of the Having served for 12 months in South up the bittereinders (die-hards) in BVC, even if there were extenuating Africa, the NSW Bushmen’s Contingent isolated areas where they could be circumstances and often purposely returned to Australia disembarking An unidentified member of the NSW Imperial Bushmen systematically hunted down.1 vague orders from above. Crimes were on 11 June 1901. In , looking at a bridle while standing next to a chestnut Britain’s view of the dirty war was committed on both sides in this conflict Thomas returned to South Africa, horse which is feeding from a nose bag. Note the aptly summed up by Lord Roberts, Lord and the BVC officers deserved to be having recruited 200 volunteers primitive quarters in the background. AWM Neg. A04298 78 79