With Botha in the Field

WITH BOTHA IN THE FIELD***

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WITH BOTHA IN THE FIELD

MOORE RITCHIE

With Five Diagrams and Eighty-two Illustrations mostly by the Author

Longmans, Green and Co. 39 Paternoster Row, London Fourth Avenue and 30th Street, New York Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras

1915

[Illustration: The Author]

J.B.

LIEUTENANT, HIS MAJESTY'S IMPERIAL FORCES,

IF THIS SHOULD CATCH THE EYE OF:

CHER AMI,--TO YOU:

IN MEMORY OF DAYS.

YOURS,

M.R.

[Illustration: The only photo of the meeting of General Botha and General Smuts in the field just before Windhuk was taken]

FOREWORD

The ungentle reader (upon whom a malediction) will discover that this little book is not by any means exhaustive. But the gentle reader may find it to be what I hope it is. For him I wrote it.

Europe at the present time is lacerated in the greatest war of which man has knowledge. Compared with the doings in the Eastern and Western Fronts, in the Austro-Italian Theatre, or in the Dardanelles, the campaign of South Africa must take a modest place.

My idea is simply to make clear to the public (for example, all names I mention will be easily found on my diagrams, drawn from a German fully detailed map, the best of the South-West African Protectorate in existence) of gentle and patriotic readers something of the latter-day work of a gentleman and a patriot, justly famed amongst peoples with whom integrity and honour are still esteemed sovereign virtues.

"The Nonggai," Pretoria, S. Africa, August 1915.

[Illustration: General Botha's Bodyguard leaving for the Front]

CONTENTS

PART I

CHASING THE REBELS

I KEMP AND BEYERS II DE WET III KEMP'S ESCAPE IV FOURIE

PART II

THE CAMPAIGN OF SOUTH-WEST AFRICA

I THE PRELIMINARY CANTER II THE FIRST TREK INTO THE NAMIB DESERT III THE RECORD TREK TO WINDHUK IV THE LAST PHASE

APPENDIX

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

The Author

The only photo of the meeting of General Botha and General Smuts in the field just before Windhuk was taken

General Botha's Bodyguard leaving for the Front

Diagram of Campaign

Group of Rebel Leaders

Rebels rounded up after the capture of De Wet

The last pursuit of Kemp. Flying column crossing the Orange River after him

Troops returning to Pretoria after Nooitgedacht. December 16, 1914

Diagram of Nooitgedacht

General Botha's train leaves the Orange Free State after the crushing of the Rebellion

Exhausted Troops after defeating De Wet in the Orange Free State

Leaving Pretoria. General Botha's Bodyguard departing

Kits aboard. The Troops departing for the Front

Camp of the Bodyguard at Groote Schuur

Brothers in Arms. The British Navy and Botha's Bodyguard fraternised aboard. Many of the latter are, of course, pure South African

Boxing aboard. En route to German South-West Africa

Awaiting landing from the Transport

Trekking over the terrible Sand Dunes near the Coast, German South-West Africa

Some of the first Burghers to land at Walvis

Before the Advance. General Botha photographed with the Red Cross Sisters

General Botha and Staff alighting for an Inspection. (The famous Brigadier-General Brits, who trekked to Namutoni, is the fourth figure from the right.)

Awaiting the Advance. The Commander-in-Chief at tea with the Red Cross Sisters

Awaiting the Advance. Garrison Sports at Swakopmund. Start for 100 yards race

Awaiting the Advance. Garrison Sports. Winner

Swakopmund from the Lighthouse: Extreme Right

Swakopmund: Centre

Swakopmund: Extreme Left

Man and Beast in the Desert: both absolutely spent

Looking for Water in the River Bed

A Halt in a River Bed: General Botha has lunch

Main Guard aboard--en route to hunt the Huns

On the Great Trek--the Chief of the Staff has a hair-cut

Action at Riet