Boer War

What were the military reform issues?

Army remained small- less than 135,000 men

Government not ready to spend money on army

Success in colonial wars- little pressure to change

Traditionalists in charge

What did the secretary of the War Office say about the army in 1899?

the army was more efficient than at any time since Waterloo

How were the British well prepared?

• Many officers had been hardened in a number of successful colonial wars.

• Wolseley emphasised the importance of supply and transportation.

• Once war was declared in 1899, mobilisation went well.

• Admiralty transporting men and supplies over a distance of 6000 miles without any issue.

How were the British badly prepared?

• Shortage of ammunition.

• Arm had plenty of red, white and blue uniforms which were unsuitable for action on the veldt, but an inadequate supply of khaki which was better camouflaged.

• Several auxiliary departments such as the Royal Army Medical Corps, were understaffed.

• Intelligence and staff work were inadequate.

• British officers failed to recognise the impact of fire from trench positions and the mobility of cavalry raids, both of which had been demonstrated in the American Civil War.

How did the Boers appear ill prepared?

• Boers could put fewer than 60,000 men in the field.

• Total population of the two republics, including men and women, was only 300,000.

• Boer army apart from a few artillery troops, was a civilian militia.

• When danger loomed, all adult male citizens in a district were expected to from a commando which elected officers.

• Each man brought his own weapon and horse. Those who could not afford one were given one by the government.

How were the Boers well prepared?

• First Boer war suggested that the Boers with excellent horsemen and hunters were likely to be tough opponents.

• Boers armed with Europe’s best weapons including smokeless Mauser rifles from Germany and Creusot siege guns from France.

• Had a greater familiarity with the terrain than British officers.

• Boer Morale was strong.

• Many Boers in Cape Colony sympathised with the two republics.

Summarise the battle of Stormberg

• Failure

• Gatacre had been told to wait until reinforcements arrive but risked a small force in a night march to recapture a strategic railway

• Column lost its way in the dark because of mistakes made by the guide

• Gatacre carried on regardless and was at the mercy of the enemy when the sun rose

• 643 men didnt receive the order to retreat and had to surrender

Summarise the battle of Magersfontein

• Failure

• An attempt to relieve Makeking

• The scouts only had a sketchy outline of Boer defences

• 3500 British British began a night march with no moonlioghhjt and only guarded by compass

• Buller had provided a war balloon but Methuen chose not to use it

• The Boers had dug trenches at the bottom of the hill

Summarise the battle of Colenso

• Direct assault on Colenso to relieve the town of Ladysmith

• The African guide pointed to a loop and claimed this was the only drift. Hart believed the guide over two intelligence maps

• Botha placed his field guns in concealed positions, had dummy positions on high ground and used smokeless powder

• The British guns had to adjust their positions, but without clear targets fired on their own troops

• Those in the loop couldn't retreat as they were facing fire from three sides

• Attempts to reclaim the guns were futile

Summarise the battle of Spion Kop

• Sent to relieve Ladysmith

• Climbed Spion Kop in the dark and dug trenches on top

• When day broke, they found out it was not the tallest hill

• Guns they didn't see opened fire

• Their trenches were too shallow due to rocky ground

• Fought all day in hot trenches with no water

• Boers attacked with shells

• Soldiers began to surrender but the generals refused so they kept fighting

• Boers won and took the hill

• SPion Kop became known as ‘the acre of massacre’

Why did Spion Kop fail?

• They underestimated the Boers- thought they had taken the hill easily

• Lack of reconnaissance- Spion Kop wasn't the tallest hill. The tallest hill had a big Boer artillery gun on it. They also couldn't dig trenches due to a shelf of hard rock under the ground

• Poor decision making- couldve held territory, instead they retreated

What went wrong in Black Week?

• Buller split his forces into three weakening them

• Lack of reconnaissance, dependent on local guides

• Poor decision making, e.g. night marches

• Poor discipline amongst senior officers

• Underestimated the Boers

Impact of Black Week

• Public backlash to Spion Kop

• More people enlist after Black Week

• Flood of resources

• More soldiers and cavalry- horses important as Boers had them, walking was slow and trains vulnerable

• Buller was replaced

Which cities did the Boers siege and when?

Mafeking, 13 October, Kimberley, 14 October and Ladysmith 2 November

How many Boers besieged Ladysmith and who led them?

35,000 Boers led by General Piet Joubert