Episode 55 - The Concentration Camps installed and Winston Churchill wins in Oldham

Episode 55 - The Concentration Camps installed and Winston Churchill wins in Oldham

It’s October 1900, and Spring is a month old in Southern Africa. Some of the mountains in Basutholand (Lesotho) still have their snowy caps, but the temperatures are already climbing to 30 degrees in other parts of the region. In Cape Town, the Governor of the Cape Sir Alfred Milner was completely unconvinced by Lord Robert’s assertion that the war was technically over. Spring had come - but what was actually happening was it had breathed new life into the Boers. For some they reckoned this war was only just beginning. Valley after Valley of the South western Transvaal for example had slipped back under the control of Boer General Koos de la Rey. He was back in his happy hunting ground, snapping up convoys, swallowing prisoners, a swirling cloud on the horizon the size of a dynamited train as Thomas Packenham described it. At the epicentre of this miniature cyclone was de la Rey, and Louis Botha had requested all commanders to meet in the SwartRuggens ridge at the end of October. That was west of the capital Pretoria, a long line of steep hills that afforded a view across the flats of the Transvaal. Meanwhile Louis Botha remained active to the East of the capital. The curling smoke in the distance was not limited to British trains being blown up - Robert’s command for increasingly tough action against Boers including the destruction of their farms had begun in earnest. We heard last week how this decision to target civilians had led immediately to an escalation of the number of Boers who’d returned to the commandos despite taking an oath of neutrality. The debate about this moment in the war has literally continued to this day with biased views on both sides.

Episoder(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 Jun 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 Jun 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 Mai 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 Mai 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 Mai 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 Mai 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 Mai 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 Apr 202018min

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