Episode 104 - A hunchback leads Smuts to safety & Captain Gough's fatal cavalry charge
The Anglo-Boer War15 Syys 2019

Episode 104 - A hunchback leads Smuts to safety & Captain Gough's fatal cavalry charge

It’s mid September 1901 and Jan Smuts is about to face one of the most challenging moments in his illustrious career. He was only 28 at this point, yet was to achieve so much in the next few weeks and would forever be remembered as the remarkable soldier who led a tiny group of men into the mouth of the British Empire lion. His immediately challenge, however, involved the weather, rather than the British. In an event which became known in Boer storytelling as The Big Rain, his commando was caught on high ground and hammered by a biblical deluge that threatened to destroy his force A few days after crossing into the Cape Colony and being attacked by the Basotho, Smuts survived a second ambush by a British patrol that killed his three scouts as they rode to investigate reports of a large column nearby. That was at the aptly named Moordenaars Poort or Murderers Way. Among the dead was Neethling who was a friend of our narrator, Deneys Reitz, who has warned us how many of the members of the Rijk Section, the Rich section as they ironically called themselves, were going to die. Ironic because they were dressed in rags - one of the ten went further describing the band of brothers as the Dandy Fifth. By around mid-September they were riding into more hills, which of course is where moist air rises and it rains more particularly on the Southerly facing mountains of South Africa. It may be the first month of Spring, but it can still snow on the high ground and Smuts’ commando was caught in freezing weather. It rained constantly, sometimes sleeted, and the wind never abated. The continued lack of any sunshine made them even more dispirited, and Reitz began to wish he’d never left the Free State.

Jaksot(143)

Episode 143 - Characters of the war an omnibus final edition with a great deal of Smuts

Episode 143 - Characters of the war an omnibus final edition with a great deal of Smuts

Thanks to those who’ve sent messages of support in the last few weeks – the level of interaction has been remarkable from all my listeners around the world. For some we started this journey together i...

14 Kesä 202023min

Episode 142 - The winners and the losers – counting the cost

Episode 142 - The winners and the losers – counting the cost

This week we count the costs of the war and follow some of those involved as they begin the long process of recovery. First, the cost. There is still debate about some of the statistics as there alwa...

7 Kesä 202022min

Episode 141 - Peace!

Episode 141 - Peace!

Episode 141 is where the British and the Boers finally sign a peace treaty, but there’s quite a bit to cover as we go about watching the days between 19th and 31st May 1902. Remember how the represen...

31 Touko 202021min

Episode 140 - General Cronje demands a St Helena mounted guard & Peace Talks back on in Pretoria

Episode 140 - General Cronje demands a St Helena mounted guard & Peace Talks back on in Pretoria

The first large group of Boer prisoners were taken by the British at the battle of Elandslaagte on 21st October 1899. The army had failed to plan for prisoners because the idea was the Boers would be ...

24 Touko 202023min

Episode 139 - Emotions run high in Vereeniging as the Boers discuss English Peace terms

Episode 139 - Emotions run high in Vereeniging as the Boers discuss English Peace terms

Episode 139 is full of peace and a smattering of love as the Boers gather in Vereeniging to discuss the British terms of surrender. As you can well imagine, the moment is bitter sweet. Men who have no...

17 Touko 202023min

Episode 138 - The Zulu massacre Boers at Holkrantz on the eve of the Vereeniging Conference

Episode 138 - The Zulu massacre Boers at Holkrantz on the eve of the Vereeniging Conference

We’re up to episode 138 and it’s a week to go before the all-important Boer Conference in Vereeniging starting May 15th 1902. Lord Kitchener has ordered his men in all intents and purposes to stop ch...

10 Touko 202021min

Episode 137 -Smuts meets a ragged Louis Botha and a Boer spy loses her mind momentarily

Episode 137 -Smuts meets a ragged Louis Botha and a Boer spy loses her mind momentarily

First we join General Jan Smuts who has been waiting in Cape Town for the British to lay on a a train to take him inland where he will join the Boer political and military leaders at Vereeniging for a...

3 Touko 202019min

Episode 136 - Deneys Reitz receives a record promotion and General Smuts takes a cruise to Cape Town

Episode 136 - Deneys Reitz receives a record promotion and General Smuts takes a cruise to Cape Town

We’re back in the Northern Cape with General Jan Smuts. He’s been waiting in vain for more than two weeks for the British to send a relief force after he laid siege to the well defended town of O’Kiep...

26 Huhti 202018min

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