Boer vs Brit: Why were the Boers so successful in the 1st Anglo-Boer War?

The American civil war and the 2nd boer war are my two favourite wars to learn about. Especially on the Boer side. Too bad people only focus on the British side.

Living in south africa now. The irony is I have a boer mother and a father from British origin. How times change😅

Sorry to hear that we lost a war. But, the Boers knew what they were doing so credit due where credit due. Regards from Canada 🇨🇦

Where has this channel been hiding, excellent content told in a wonderful way

Nicely presented. Let's not forget what happened next, when the boer's farms were burnt to the ground and their woman and children were herded into camps, for "their protection" later referred to as consentration camps. Many woman and children were starved in these camps. Proud to be a descendant of a boer family.

I would imagine that the Kommando's being called up from each district had a lot of unit cohesion as basically everyone was a relative or neighbour. You could quite possibly have a unit with a child/father/grandfather and possibly even a great grandfather.

Another interesting video-thank you. The Professor's voice resembles that of Sir John Gielgud.

Great to know about the tactics and how flexible the boers operated. Just looking at the last part of troops charging up the hill and no cover. Nothing carried over to Battle of Somme 1916.

Chris, one of this days you might consider doing a video about Koos de la Rey I think he was a very worthy enemy of the British Army.

Best videos from the best channel on YT.

I'll be looking forward to the battle of Majuba hill video!

Your professor downplays the Boer's abilities and toughness and prowess with a rifle. Ask any English speaker who did his national service in the 70's and 80's and he will tell you very few Afrikaans speakers could not handle a rifle before he was called up to the army. To this day most Afrikaners hunt. Even the urban ones. Regarding their toughness and abilities to survive almost everything. Most Afrikaners found army life to be easier than life at home.

My initial response to the question was 'Because the British infantry were trained to advance and attack in line. Only skirmishers such as Light Companies and the Rifles trained to fight independently. The Boers on the other hand made the best of the terrain available to them and fought more akin to the Spanish guilleros of the Peninsular War than the French in the same war'. Also the Boer uniforms were much harder to spot than the primary colour red of the British - you can't hit what you can't see. Now let's watch the video and see if my thoughts make any sense :) [Addendum: Yes and no.... John mentioned that by the time of the Boer Wars the British were used to skirmish lines [so no] etc, but isn't part of that thinking independently and knowing to shoot officers first, as the Boers did? Therefore shooting the officers /shouldn't/ have had the effect it did. Did the British have to be /told/ 'deploy in skirmish order' [seems that way] whilst the Boers did by default? In summary it seems the British knew /what/ to do but not /when/ to do it, and relied on officers for the /when/. The Boers knew what /and/ when.

I enjoy your videos. Looking forward to you video at Majuba. I visited in 1998, well worth a visit.

Excellent video as always.

Hi there Parkinson, I really appreciated this insight, you and Professor Laband did great. I've watched a few other videos you've put out on South Africa. I'm working on a story set during the Anglo Boer War. It's a real help to hear the truth behind the Boers civilian lives, and their use of horses and guns. It'll help me portray them in a fleshed out light (from what we see of them). I'd love to know what you think of this

Hi Christian Another fascinating video...🇬🇧 The writer Rudyard Kipling remarked of the war, 'WE HAVE HAD AN IMPERIAL LESSON .' The British Army learned from its mistakes and defeats during its conflicts against the Boers. Post South Africa a serious reform in tactics, was introduced during the run up to the First World War. An increase in range practice and improving marksman ship being key along with skirmishing tactics along with front line support from a more mobile artillery meant that when the British Expeditionary Force were shipped over to France and Belgium in 1914, it was the best equipped and trained force ever to leave Blighty.

You would think that the British military commanders would have learned with being more diligent and having weapons in the shoulder where they should be at all times. Also the tactics of the day was shocking to today's standards. Even in WW1 where soldiers advanced to contact whilst under machine gun fire was ludicrous and proved suicidal. Not much changed through the war. Looking forward to the next one. Thanks mate that was excellent.

What a wonderful presentation.

Primary farmers, proficient horsemen. They had to protect themselves hostile natives. Every Sunday post church, many had an informal rifle match. They know the terrain, they know the weather. Everything I mentioned first off are valued martial skills. 1901, the British promote small bore marksmanship nationally. All too late for SA war.