When the Boer Republics invaded Natal in 1899, they could have been driven out with very few casualties. Unfortunately, the British failed to seek the advice of the Natalians or to appreciate the capability of the locally raised troops. The British army had not been trained in the skills, which the development of the long range rifle had made vital, namely, good marksmanship and concealment of one's position. To add to this burden, the Colonial Office instructed the Governors in Natal and the Cape to give no information ...
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When the Boer Republics invaded Natal in 1899, they could have been driven out with very few casualties. Unfortunately, the British failed to seek the advice of the Natalians or to appreciate the capability of the locally raised troops. The British army had not been trained in the skills, which the development of the long range rifle had made vital, namely, good marksmanship and concealment of one's position. To add to this burden, the Colonial Office instructed the Governors in Natal and the Cape to give no information about the war to the local Governments, and the War Office ordered that no military information whatsoever should be given to locally raised forces. The inhabitants of Natal and the Cape knew the Boer Republics coveted their land and the training of locally raised Volunteers was designed specifically to meet this threat. Although armed with obsolete rifles, they soon demonstrated how the Boers might be defeated with minimal casualties. To suit political interests the contribution and suffering of the people of Natal has been written out of history. For the first time this book chronicles their experiences. Soldiers and civilians, black and white, men, women and children. The lessons of that War, that due regard should be paid to local advice, that an army should be properly trained and equipped, and have definite objectives, is as relevant today as it was 100 years ago.
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Add this copy of Friends and Enemies: the Natal Campaign in the South to cart. $25.00, very good condition, Sold by Book Dispensary rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Niagara Falls, NY, UNITED STATES, published 2015 by Tattered Flag.
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