The Boer Wars

[Cowboy]

I just finished reading "The Great Anglo-Boer War" ISBN 0-06-011204-2. While perhaps outside of our RWVA curriculum: this is Byron Farwell's account of how two tiny sister Republics fought for their Independence;against Great Britain at it's zenith. The Boer's were called by Conan Doyle "the most rugged, virile,unconquerable race ever seen upon earth." The book is at once; fascinating, infuriating, heartbreaking, and inspiring. There are lessons here for we RWVA Appleseeders, as we work to save our own American Republic.
Merry Christmas and Good New Year, Bob Allen

[1911Ron]

It is amazing what a few Riflemen can do.  And yes it is a good book.  AzRon

[Jungle George]

AzRon,

    I see my unit crest on your post.  You in the Seventh Cav?  I was 5/7 Cav a long time ago

Gary Owen

Jungle George

[dart67eb]

Wasn't there a cav unit in Uijongbu in the 80's with that crest?

[Jungle George]

The unit crest is of the Seventh Cavalry it has been in around since Custer.  I was in the Fifth battalion of the Seventh an air mobile unit during the great days of Vietnam.  Our battalion was disbanded in April of 1970 and the colors were unfurled in 2004, I believe.  They are an armored unit now two tours of Iraq and getting ready to go the Afganistan now.  Gen. Hal Moore, and Joe Galloway wrote the book  We were Soldiers once and young, about Moore's command of the first battalion of the Seventh.
   The Gary Owen at the top of the unit crest comes from an Irish Pub that was Garden Owen many of the Irish immigrating to this country joined the army, so most of them during Custer's time were Irish and Custer had a marching song called Gary Owen it is a greeting and password used by troopers of the seventh.  I'm always looking for my brothers, and now I have many new brothers and sisters in Apple seed.

He who sheds his blood with thee is thy brother forever, a band of brothers are we.   

[1911Ron]

Jungle George, that would be 3rd Squadron/7th Armored Cavalry Regiment/ 3rd ID Scwhinefurt, West Germany 83-84  The Boers carried Paul Mausers 1888 Comission rifle    AzRon

[Cowboy]

AZRON, You said The Boer's carried Paul Mauser's 1888 Commision rifle. What chambering was the rifle in? Was this the same rifle carried by the Spanish at Cuba in 1898? Just wondering. Bob Allen

[SamD]

Many had comission rifles in *x57 but most carried the "new" M93 in 7x57

[TaosGlock]

Haven't read that one, but did read Thomas Pakenham's: The Boer War". I could almost feel myself there.
I agree, what a hardy lot those Boers were!

Now I will have to have to pick up Farwell's book.

[metalbot]

Haven't read that one, but did read Thomas Pakenham's: The Boer War". I could almost feel myself there.
I agree, what a hardy lot those Boers were!

Now I will have to have to pick up Farwell's book.

Pakenham's book is probably one of the best overviews of the Boer War.  Unfortunately, it's out of print (though widely available through used book stores on Amazon).

I also enjoyed "Commando" by Denys Reitz.  It's a first hand account of a 19 year old participant in the war.  Very little discussion of the underlying politics of the war, but a detailed description of what it was like to fight in it.  Also out of print, but available for $10 used on Amazon.