home Anglo-Boer-War >> next << back
Military History – South Africa – Europe – England 19th Century
.Article – Online Historic Information | Military
.Page 64
General and Chief Commandant. The Vecht-general or Combat General, the next most senior
rank, was entitled Assistant Chief-commandant in the Orange Free State. The Commandant, who
reported to the Vecht-general, was in command of a commando.
Reference:
Hall, Darrell, ed. Fransjohan Pretorius and Gilbert Torlage, The Hall Handbook of the Anglo-Boer
War (Pietermaritzburg, University of Natal Press, 1999).
Commandeer
The activity under Commando Law that involved the drafting of men with their equipment and
supplies was termed commandeering. The precise provisions varied in time and according to
circumstances. Chief-commandant Christiaan De Wet set the rules out as follows: “. . . every burgher
between the ages of sixteen and sixty must be prepared to fight for his country at any moment . . . if
required for active service, he must provide himself with a riding-horse, saddle and bridle, with a
rifle and thirty cartridges – or, if he were unable to obtain a rifle, he must bring with him thirty
bullets, thirty caps and half a pound of powder – in addition he must be provisioned for eight days.
That there should have been an alternative to the rifle was due to the fact that the law was made at a
time when only a few burghers possessed breech-loading rifles – achterlaaiers,as we called them.”
De Wet goes on to explain that the provisions were understood to be of biltong (dried meat) or
of sausages and “Boer biscuits”, small loaves made of flour and fermented raisins instead of yeast,
twice baked. The quantity required for eight days was left to the individual.
See also:
Biltong; Boer Forces.
Reference:
De Wet, Christiaan, Three Years War (London, Archibald Constable, 1902).
Commando
See Boer Forces
Communications
As in all conflicts, the passing of clear and unambiguous messages between commanders, their
headquarters and their subordinates presented great difficulties and failures were costly. When
considering the events of the war the imperfections of communication and the lack of information
available to commanders has to be kept in mind.
Both British and Boer communications between the seat of government and headquarters in the
field were, at the start of the war, excellent. The telegraph was very efficient. Written messages and
reports were carried by railway within South Africa and by sea, taking some three weeks, from South
Africa to Britain. The telephone was a recent invention and not much in use as yet except over short
distances. However, Colonel Ian Hamilton used the telephone to summon aid
home
Anglo-Boer-War
>> next
<< back
Critical USA/EU Defense Intel Item / Threat Reporting Issue (Urgent for USA/NATO/German attention)
US/EU Investment & Security Risk – GBP Crash – ponzi ‘Rainbow Investment scheme ‘ – SEC insider Trading investigation
Additional Intel Details & Forecast(1 Year & 5 Year):
Industry : US & EU Defense
9/11 Attackers & Financiers : England(Prince Philip/Charles & Windsors)/Russia/China
Finance Source (9/11) : Diamonds via Anglo America plc / De Beers extracted SA & Namibia (ex German SWA) – Marketed China USA
Attack Co – Ordinators (9/11) : England -Windsors / Privy Council (UK)
Intelligence Intrusion Mgt/Blowback Suppression (9/11) : UK/England (MI5 & GCHQ – rainbow moles – Erik Ciaramella types )
Proxy Attack team(9/11) : Muslim “rainbow team” (non Christian) led by Mohammed Atta etc
Latest Defense Threat/Opportunity USA : Mi5/GCHQ “intel mole Erik Ciaramella unmasked” attempts to smear President Trump and enable corrupted $400million package to Ukraine
Latest Download Details :