Goodbye Dolly Gray (book review)

Goodbye Dolly Gray

By Rayne Kruger 

Published by Mackays of Chatham

ISBN 0-7126-6285-5

Paperback, 540 pages

Now way back, when I was editor of the SOTCW magazine, The Journal and was admin of the society forum we had long discussions about what was acceptable and allowed to be discussed on the forum and submitted for publication within the society magazine. Frankly as editor I was continuously scrounging for content and in that vein I made the comment that I would consider anything from 1900 to present and I would also allow late 19th Century stuff like the first year of the 2nd Boer War as an example, as this was a direct link to the C20th.

So here I am over a decade later, picking up a book on a conflict I have never read about and have no plans ever to game – The Second Boer War. The book takes its title from a musical hall song often referred to as the "Boer War Anthem", when in fact it was written by an American about the earlier Spanish-American War!

This book is as I`ve said the first I`ve ever read on this topic, I was of course aware of the basics – Britain wanted to extend her dominion over the independent Boer Republics (and their wealth - diamonds and gold). The Boers resisted and the war dragged on for nearly three years costing a fortune and many thousands of lives on both sides. Churchill (then a journalist) was captured (and escaped); the British used concentration camps (an estimated 20,000+ died of neglect and disease) and scorched earth tactics in an attempt to control the Boers. Both sides fought with great courage and determination, the British suffered awful defeats – Spion Kop (how many Kop ends are there in northern football grounds), the loss of the guns at Colenso and the death of General Roberts son; the sieges of Ladysmith, Kimberly and Mafeking (and Baden-Powell`s defense)!

The book starts with the political machinations of Cecil Rhodes and the British verses the national pride and independent nature of the Boer leadership and goes right though the war until the Boer surrender on 31^st May 1902.

There are a few maps (not enough in my opinion) and a number of B/W period photos and prints of the various personalities. His style is easy to read, he doesn`t get bogged down with details and tries very hard to remain neutral to both sides propaganda, claims and counter-claims. Battles are described in a brief, clear style – though his descriptions of British officers, particularly their facial hair did bring a smile to my face now and again. There are a number of actions which I think could easily transfer to tabletop if you were so inclined. The author tries his best also to cover the various stages of the war, which covers a huge amount of ground – South Africa being twice as large as France!

As the war progressed tactics and strategies changed, the Boers employed trenches first which proved a nasty surprise for the British. The British in turn built lines of blockhouses linked by barbed wire to enclose the vastness of the Veld (countryside) and hoped to pen in the Boer commandos (only partially successful). Eventually numbers told, with Britain calling in aid from her colonies – Australia, New Zealand, Canada and India plus raising local volunteers. All this is detailed and makes for interesting reading, as does the names of officers who would later rise to command during World War One – French (who commanded the British Expeditionary Force in France); Douglas Haig (who replaced him) and Allenby (of TS Lawrence fame). One famous name who I had not linked to the Boer War was a volunteer stretcher bearer during the disaster at Colenso was a young lawyer from India – M. K. Gandhi!

Overall an excellent primer, worth tracking down.