Episode 78 - American blockhouses from Cuba and the enigma that was the pro-Boer John Tengo Jabavu

Episode 78 - American blockhouses from Cuba and the enigma that was the pro-Boer John Tengo Jabavu

The ides of March were upon the British in South Africa as they continued chasing the ghost generals, Smuts, de la Rey, Beyers, de Wet across a cooling landscape that had begun its Southern Hemisphere Autumn in 1901. This week we’ll probe an American invention in Cuba called the Blockhouse chain as well as details of how journalist John Tengo Jabavu was publishing pro-Boer commentary against the wishes of both the British and most black intellectuals. We’ll return to his experiences later. The tactic of building a chain of forts is ancient, but the most recent examples before the Boer War came from the American War in Cuba. But this campaign had demonstrated that forts by themselves could not prevent guerrilla action and Lord Kitchener who was beginning to build them in South Africa knew that full well. Kitchener’s strategy therefore was to integrate the function of the fixed defensive units in fortified blockhouses with mobile attacking units on the drives. These began in January 1901, I’ve spoken about them in previous podcasts as the British tried herding or hustling the Boers into smaller areas of veld so that they could be overcome. Kitchener believed if the country could be divided into small areas by fortified lines, the Boers in each might be prevented from crossing to the next. His chessboard of maps across his HQ walls featured these regions with the addition of mobile columns that would be moved quickly by train from chess block to chess block while the blockhouses and barbed wire began to string out across the wide-open plains.

Episoder(143)

Episode 47 - General Buller reappears, Louis Botha plots and "Johnny" Hamilton bungles.

Episode 47 - General Buller reappears, Louis Botha plots and "Johnny" Hamilton bungles.

In this episode General Buller makes a return and some of his slow moving tactics start paying off. Lord Kitchener complains after de Wet makes his escape with 2500 burghers, and the Canadians prepare...

12 Aug 201818min

Episode 46 - A German is executed and the Australians hold off Koos de la Rey.

Episode 46 - A German is executed and the Australians hold off Koos de la Rey.

In July Lieutenant Hans Cordua who was a German, had led a plot to overthrown the British once they’d arrived in the Transvaal capital.   Lieutenant Cordua had fought for the Boers and was captured bu...

5 Aug 201815min

Episode 45 - De Wet drinks a cup of bitterness while Lord Roberts’ wife upsets Queen Victoria

Episode 45 - De Wet drinks a cup of bitterness while Lord Roberts’ wife upsets Queen Victoria

That’s 45 weeks since the start of the war in October 1899. And this podcast series is following the weeks, so to speak. Right now, we’re in an interregnum. Not a dormant period and definitely not an ...

29 Jul 201820min

Episode 44 - The Mist of war descends on the Dragon Mountains and de Wet fights with his brother

Episode 44 - The Mist of war descends on the Dragon Mountains and de Wet fights with his brother

This is episode 44 and comes with a smattering of snow, ice and a little about what’s known as the Dragon Mountains - the Drakensberg. It’s also called the Barrier of Spears because the lava flow whic...

22 Jul 201819min

Episode 43 - General Hunter hunts de Wet and Canada loses a famous son

Episode 43 - General Hunter hunts de Wet and Canada loses a famous son

The conventional war has ended and the guerilla war has begun. The next few episodes will explore the actions of various leaders as they criss-crossed the South African countryside. But its not a roma...

15 Jul 201820min

Episode 42 - Beautiful scenery please pass the ammunition

Episode 42 - Beautiful scenery please pass the ammunition

It’s early July 1900 and we’re into the phase of this conflict that is characterised by small Boer forces roaming the veld, hiding out and then striking weak points in the British line. And in a count...

8 Jul 201822min

Episode 41 - An earthquake strikes as the Battle of Diamond Hill unfolds

Episode 41 - An earthquake strikes as the Battle of Diamond Hill unfolds

We’re up to episode 41 of the series and Lord Roberts and the British army have taken control of most of South Africa. In this episode we’ll hear about the last pitched conventional battle of the Angl...

1 Jul 201816min

Episode 40 - Making Lord Kitchener’s acquaintance as de Wet’s farm burns

Episode 40 - Making Lord Kitchener’s acquaintance as de Wet’s farm burns

It’s the morning of 10th June 1900, and we’re riding with General Christian de Wet who is about to make Lord Kitchener’s acquaintance far from the capital Pretoria, where Lord Roberts has bivouacked w...

24 Jun 201821min

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