With Botha in the Field

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With Botha in the Field

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Title: With Botha in the Field
Author: Eric Moore Ritchie
Release Date: May 9, 2005 [eBook #15802]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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WITH BOTHA IN THE FIELD
by
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
An unique picture of General Botha, the Commander-in-Chief and his Staff reconnoitring
After Riet water in blessed profusion
A Typical Parade of the Germans in South-West Africa
Typical captured German Infantry
The Great Trek. Otjimbingwe: its Palms and Wells
The Great Trek. Otjimbingwe: the Commander-in-Chief at the old German capital
The Great Trek. Getting Milk from a Goat. Milk was priced beyond Silver
The Great Trek. An extempore bath towards the end of the Trek
A Beauty Spot passed during the last Trek
The Last Phase. Conference at Omaruru. German Staff lunching
The General receives his Bodyguard at a Garden Party after return
German prisoners of war, imprisoned at Karibib
Karibib
Towards Windhuk. The first troops in Waldau
The first South African Engineer Corps Staff at Windhuk
Towards Windhuk. A quick railway repair after the Germans' usual practice of blowing up railway bridges
Towards Windhuk. The first train to Windhuk. The South African Engineer Corps Construction Party aboard
At