While rereading Jeff Cooper's "Gargantuan Gun site Gossip" I found an article that I had forgotten on this author Reitz. He was a Boer in that war in South Africa + later served in War 1. He wrote 3 books on the Boer war, "Commando, Trekking On,+ No out span." They have been out of print for quite some time but looking at Amazon, they had all 3 in stock, so I ordered them. There weren't many, so I would advise you to get them while you can. I think all 3 books came to around $35.00

Randy, good stuff. I read a lot of Boer material some years back. The very best -- or at least the one that left its biggest impression on me -- was the somewhat obscure "Commando Courageous, a Boer Diary" by R. W. Schikkerling.
I read it for the war experience, but Schikkerling's grasp of the human experience was a great and pleasing surprise.
If you ever manage to run across it, I would love to hear your thoughts on it after reading Reitz. In some ways the Boers were like the "Lost Cause" Confederates in our country. I blame my interest upon having been named for Robert Baden-Powell, the Brits' "Hero of Mafeking."
The relief of Mafeking plays a role in the oddly watchable Shirley Temple movie, "The Little Princess."
But the Brits certainly did not win the peace with clean hands, having consigned Boer women and children to what is acknowledged as the first concentration camp of the 20th century.

Indeed! The Raj was pretty brutal in its governance of its colonies.

Along those same lines is a quote from Frederick Selous, " The 2 essential requirements for complete terrestrial happiness are a good appetite and no conscience."

I cam across "Adrift on the Open Veld" which has the 3 books combined into one. Very interesting and adventurous life

I'm almost finished with "Commando" + waiting still for the other 2. Boy, oh boy, his wartime experiences were quite severe. I don't know if I or any of my contemporaries these days could have lived through their travails. They were a tough bunch of customers; but we knew that; just not only HOW tough.

I just finished,"Trekking On" about the end of the Boer war, the instability in the reconstruction, his return to SA from a self-imposed exile in Madagascar, + then enlisting in the British army to fight in France to finish out "The Great War".

quote:

But the Brits certainly did not win the peace with clean hands, having consigned Boer women and children to what is acknowledged as the first concentration camp of the 20th century.

True statement. Now, ever heard of the Maritz rebellion? Documented in one of Reitz's books I believe? The Afrikaner's joined forces with the German army in Namibia in WW1! Also, more recently, you might want to see this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPbExwBJiwY

Peter.

I also bought Von Lettow-Vorbecks autobiography from Safari Press a few years ago. I don't think they are carrying it now.

Peter, mentioning the Maritz Rebellion puts German Southwest Africa on the table, and I suspect that the only sorrier chapter in the sad history of European Colonial barbarity in Africa than what the Germans did to the Herero would be the Belgians' horrific behavior in the Congo.
"Words Cannot be Found" and "King Leopold's Ghost" address these atrocities.

Well Bill, I am not sure what to make of your comment. When I hunted in Namibia about 18 years ago, the PH took me to visit a German woman who owned a farm. She seemed to be doing pretty well. The PH spoke German, and basically most literate people in Namibia seemed to speak German, English and the local language(s). So, I would rate the German influence as still pretty strong, despite the colonial wrongs they committed.
Peter.

Peter, I would very much have liked to spend a couple of days in Swakopmund when I was in Namibia in 2007, but we were there to hunt. The German influence is still felt, and of course they left behind some charming architecture.
I only ran across the grim history while trying to learn more about Namibia before our trip.

The farm I hunted was owned by a German "industrialist". Farm Felseneck.
Peter.

Just finishing up his last book, "No Outspan". He writes well + had lived a very full life. I recommend his 3 books.

Norman, Thank you for a great recommendation. I'd never heard of Reitz before, but I thoroughly enjoyed these books. By the way, after purchasing them on kindle (for only .99 per volume) I discovered that they are offered for free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers.

Glad you liked them, when an author writes good material, he can never die. We the living have the responsibility of passing along his legacy.