Boer War Archives - The Casual Observer

Port Elizabeth of Yore: An Act of Kindness in a Heartless War

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 3 May 2020 0 Comment

This is the story of a woman who, without consideration of the consequences, assisted Afrikaner women, the “enemy”, who were incarcerated in the concentration camp at Kemsley Park, near the top of Mount Round during the Boer War.

This is an extract of the account by Harry William Rose-Innes of “Miemie” Frielinghaus’ actions entitled “The Face of Destiny”. This is blog is faithful to Rose-Innes original account except that irrelevant information has been omitted.

Main picture: Concentration Camp Memorial in Lennox Road, Glendinningvale

A.J. Montgomery: Part 5 – The Deadly Ambush at Sanna’s Post

By Dean McCleland in Other Family Histories 16 September 2018 0 Comment

A member of the 10^th Hussars and a survivor of the sinking of the SS Ismore near Paternoster, Arthur John Montgomery recounts his part in the successful routing of the Boer forces in the Orange Free State and the Transvaal. In this episode Arthur Montgomery recalls his part in the attack on Sanna’s Post 16 miles outside Bloemfontein. Instead of success, the ambush by the Boers claimed countless lives and an ignominious retreat.

AJ’s narrative has been edited for readability and grammar, but it still largely remains the voice of the author narrating his impressions, concerns and fears while providing vivid pictures of war with Imperial Forces being decimated by Boers in front of the waterworks at Sanna’s Post.

Main picture: Painting of A.J. Montgomery of the 10th Hussars

A.J. Montgomery: Part 3 – Baptism of Fire at the Battle of Colesberg

By Dean McCleland in Other Family Histories 14 September 2018 0 Comment

A member of the 10^th Hussars and a survivor of the sinking of the SS Ismore near Paternoster, Arthur John Montgomery recounts his part in the successful routing of the Boer forces outside Colesberg during January 1900 with the cavalry still using swords and lances aginst the Boers’ mausers.

AJ’s narrative has been edited for readability and grammar, but it still largely remains the voice of the author narrating his impressions, concerns and fears during his baptism of fire outside the dusty hamlet of Colesberg in the northernmost part of the Cape Colony.

Main picture: Painting of A.J. Montgomery of the 10th Hussars

Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Anglo-Boer War Years

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 31 March 2018 1 Comment

The Ango-Boer War, or as it now known, the South African War, might not have physically ravished the town, yet it did affect Port Elizabeth in manifold ways. The denial of the right to citizenship of the Uitlanders in the Transvaal Republic was the ostensible reason for the declaration of war by Paul Kruger on Britain on the 11^th October 1899.

Main picture: No. 2 Remount Depot

Port Elizabeth of Yore: Concentration Camps & Refugees during the Boer War

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 15 March 2018 2 Comments

During the latter stages of the Boer War and the defeat of the conventional Boer forces, the fighting devolved into a guerrilla war with the open veldt and the scattered Boer farmhouses providing the logistics system. In order to sever this supply line, the farm houses were torched, and the animals slaughtered, in terms of the Scorched Earth policy, while the wives and children were placed in concentration camps. Without this sustenance, all the Boer forces apart from the bitter einders opted to surrender.

Main picture: Memorial at the North End Cemetery to those who died at PE’s Concentration Camp

Port Elizabeth of Yore: Defences during the Boer War

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 10 November 2016 1 Comment

Although Port Elizabeth was never directly affected during the Anglo-Boer War as it was never occupied or fought over, measures had to be taken to prevent the destruction of infrastructure in the unlikely event of a Boer raid.

The blog only covers those defensive measures.

Main picture: One of the two forts at the Upper Van Stadens Dam which was constructed during the Anglo-Boer War

Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Horse Memorial

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 12 July 2016 0 Comment

For me the inscription on the granite statue, “The greatness of a nation consists not so much in the number of its people or in the extent of its territory as in the extent and justice of its compassion” is apt. That Port Elizabeth chose to honour our equestrian friends who were slaughtered during the Boer War epitomises that humanity.

Main picture: Horses being offloaded at the Port Elizabeth harbour during the Anglo Boer War using the sling-hoist method.

Flight MH370: The Human Factor

By Dean McCleland in Current Affairs 20 March 2014 0 Comment

A Personal View – March 2014

As expected, the mysterious disappearance of a Boeing 777-200 on a flight from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia to Beijing has attracted international media attention. This interest has largely centred on the reason for its unexpected disappearance and to some extent the emotional issues related to family & friends.

Quite rightly so!

The Opinion Pieces are an eclectic bunch on current affairs & history often with a human interest aspect. The Movie/DVDs reviews are mainly on documentaries with a smattering of movie reviews.

Tag Archives: Boer War

Port Elizabeth of Yore: An Act of Kindness in a Heartless War

A.J. Montgomery: Part 5 – The Deadly Ambush at Sanna’s Post

AJ’s narrative has been edited for readability and grammar, but it still largely remains the voice of the author narrating his impressions, concerns and fears while providing vivid pictures of war with Imperial Forces being decimated by Boers in front of the waterworks at Sanna’s Post.

A.J. Montgomery: Part 3 – Baptism of Fire at the Battle of Colesberg

A member of the 10^th Hussars and a survivor of the sinking of the SS Ismore near Paternoster, Arthur John Montgomery recounts his part in the successful routing of the Boer forces outside Colesberg during January 1900 with the cavalry still using swords and lances aginst the Boers’ mausers.

AJ’s narrative has been edited for readability and grammar, but it still largely remains the voice of the author narrating his impressions, concerns and fears during his baptism of fire outside the dusty hamlet of Colesberg in the northernmost part of the Cape Colony.

Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Anglo-Boer War Years

Port Elizabeth of Yore: Concentration Camps & Refugees during the Boer War

Port Elizabeth of Yore: Defences during the Boer War

The blog only covers those defensive measures.

Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Horse Memorial

Flight MH370: The Human Factor

AJ’s narrative has been edited for readability and grammar, but it still largely remains the voice of the author narrating his impressions, concerns and fears while providing vivid pictures of war with Imperial Forces being decimated by Boers in front of the waterworks at Sanna’s Post.

A member of the 10th Hussars and a survivor of the sinking of the SS Ismore near Paternoster, Arthur John Montgomery recounts his part in the successful routing of the Boer forces outside Colesberg during January 1900 with the cavalry still using swords and lances aginst the Boers’ mausers.

AJ’s narrative has been edited for readability and grammar, but it still largely remains the voice of the author narrating his impressions, concerns and fears during his baptism of fire outside the dusty hamlet of Colesberg in the northernmost part of the Cape Colony.

The blog only covers those defensive measures.

A member of the 10^th Hussars and a survivor of the sinking of the SS Ismore near Paternoster, Arthur John Montgomery recounts his part in the successful routing of the Boer forces outside Colesberg during January 1900 with the cavalry still using swords and lances aginst the Boers’ mausers.