Battles involving England - Boer War

Song possibly connected with the Boer War

The First Anglo-Boer War (1880-1881), also known as the "Transvaal War," was a relatively brief conflict in which Boer settlers successfully resisted a British attempt to annex the Transvaal, and re-establish an independent republic. The Second Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902), by contrast, was a lengthy war, involving large numbers of troops from many British possessions, which ended with the conversion of the Boer republics into British colonies (with a promise of limited self-government). These colonies later formed part of the Union of South Africa. During the Second Boer War, the British rounded up and isolating the Boer civilian population into concentration camps.

Siege of Mafeking 1899-1900 (location)

Robert Baden-Powell decided to defend the town of Mafeking because of its location, both near the border and on the railway between Bulawayo and Kimberley, and because of its status as a local administrative centre. The town had good stocks of food and other necessities. The Mafeking forces were about 2000, and were heavily out-numbered by over 8,000 Boer troops, but the garrison withstood the siege for 217 days. The Mafeking forces included a cadet corps of boys as young as 12 who acted as messengers and orderlies. These later inspired for the Scouting Movement, started by Robert Baden-Powell. The siege was finally lifted when British forces relieved the town after fighting their way in.

Some of the men who were besieging Mafeking, taken in the early days of the seige
Some of the men who were besieging Mafeking, taken in the early days of the seige


Land of Hope and Glory

Music by Edward Elgar and lyrics by A. C. Benson, written in 1902. The reference to the extension of the British Empire's boundaries may reflect the Boer War, recently won at the time of writing, in which Britain gained further territory, endowed with considerable mineral wealth.

Dear Land of Hope, thy hope is crowned,
God make thee mightier yet !
On Sov'ran brows, beloved, renowned,
Once more thy crown is set.
Thine equal laws, by Freedom gained,
Have ruled thee well and long ;
By Freedom gained, by Truth maintained,
Thine Empire shall be strong.

Chorus
Land of Hope and Glory, Mother of the Free,
How shall we extol thee, who are born of thee?
Wider still and wider shall thy bounds be set;
God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet,
God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet.

Thy fame is ancient as the days,
As Ocean large and wide :
A pride that dares, and heeds not praise,
A stern and silent pride ;
Not that false joy that dreams content
With what our sires have won ;
The blood a hero sire hath spent
Still nerves a hero son.

Wikipedia (external site) for further information       -       Battles index