Robert Baden Powell & The Siege of Mafeking | 1899-1900 Boer War, South Africa

What you did not mention was that BP had already honed woodcraft skills while at Charterhouse School. He would often disappear for days and the masters would search for him in vain. It is also important to note that his army manual. "Aids to Scouting," which he wrote after the Boer War, was used by boys across Britain as the basis of a game of scouting and it was this that inspired the Brownsea Island camp.

Great bit of history. Having been in the scouts, Baden-Powell is a name that was always bantered around as being the source of all skills. This had such an impact to all the scouts. Epic story, well told. Thank you!!!

I have Frederick Russell Burnham DSO Book scouting on two continents. He had a very adventurous life and fought in two wars for the British empire. They should really make a movie about him. Would like to see you do a video on him. Cheers Ron

As a Scout myself, this battle was quite interesting, as we were almost never taught about it in this depth. Thank you for another great history video!

Another excellent stpry Chris. I was a boy scout back in the 70s and learned a little of Baden Powell, but his miltary service wasn't part of what we learned. Thanks for the information on him andbhis demeanor during the siege. 😂

Good thing about the scouts is there's no desertion. You have no idea how disappointed my stepfather was to quit the scouts. He was there in the 80's. During the first wave of dismantling for the things others had done. Those were his good memories of life. Before his boy grew-up to hate, before a divorce. He tone was always resigned about it.

The Boers were hopeless at siege warfare! None of the three besieged towns - Mafeking, Ladysmith or Kimberley ever came close to falling. It just didn't fit with the Boer operations mentality. Thanks Chris, for another very informative presentation!

I was born and grew up in Mafeking and I was a member of the 1st Mafeking Scout Group, ended up as an Assistant Scout Master in Mafeking before joining the S A Navy.

Very good history lesson. My Dad made Eagle in 1931. It only took him 2 1/2 years to make Chief during WWII. I made Eagle in 1969. I made SSG in 15 months during NAM. My son made Eagle in 2011. Boy Scouts gave us good training for self discipline and learning to work towards goals. Most important, it was fun. Good Luck, Rick

Thank you for your lesion on Baden Powell. As an ex cub, scout, Rover, I use my bush skills learnt evert time I go scrub. In my line of work as a Quality Practitioner, I often have to show people visual flaws that people with UNTRAINED EYE cannot see. Baden wrote about a white hunter who hired a tracker-spotter. The Tracker, spotted the target, and said to the hunter. “There, there”! With UNTRAINED-EYES the hunter could not see the target. Another story, Baden’s Commanding Officer’s horse went AWAL, and Baden was sent to track the animal. Finding it and returning to base after three days of tracking. Baden said after that, the horse suffered from stress from its three days in the wild and never recovered.

I became a cub scout in Mafeking in 1961/2. Supposedly the youngest up to that time. I still have rifle bullet casings I picked up in and around the old Imperial reserve. There was a big international scout jamboree in around mid 60's

Hi it was so good to read about Mafeking. My wife’s grandfather was Australian in the Australian 1st New South Wales Mounted Rifles. Amongst a number of fights he was at Bloemfontein 13 March 1900 and at the Relief of Kimberly. We have a copy of a letter from him 18 Jan 1900. He said they were « Having a bit of a rough time » but «  It is the best experience ever I had » .

Loved the video. My Grandfather, born 1883, was sent to S. Africa just after the Boar war. He was an army gunsmith and took loads of photos, which l still have. He used to tell me stories of his time there. Cheers, John.

As a youngster my grandparents, both in the RAF during the second world war took my sister and I to the Earl's court exhibition centre to watch soldiers enact the relief of Mafeking carrying guns over obstacles. Brilliant stuff.

Thanks Chris for another excellent and engrossing video. The hits just keep on coming. And, BP was the very model of a modern Major General.

As a kid in London I was part of the Cub's and the Scouts, but it wasn't until later as a grown up and an adventurer with my own car that I got down to pool, and Brownsea island, it's a definite to visit, and take your camping gear✌️💪🇬🇧 One great thing about the island is it's the last place in England where you find the Red Squirrels, that place is still a testament to the great man that gave a lot of lost children courage and a better way of thinking about themselves 🆘💯🇬🇧💪 The story of Maffican is one I wanted to know, as usual you've done a terrific job to those men and women 🤩😍🇬🇧💯 THANKS dib dib dobs💪

The story I read was that BP had limited amounts of explosives, and a few grenades. He knew that their positions were being watched, and had his men pretending to straddle over barbed wire and walking zig-zag routes through supposed mine fields. When he thought that the watchers were beginning to doubt these obstacles existed, he had a grenade set off to simulate a mine in one of the fields. I don’t know if any of this is true, but I always liked the idea that someone would be so imaginative.

What an incredible and interesting chapter of a largely unknown conflict. In Downtown Abbey Lord Crawley is wearing the Boer War Campaign Medal, to do some Jazz of my own. I thought it odd that there was no mention of the discovery by Howard Carter. The whole story revolves around the estate of Lord Carnavon. Great thing that you established. I enjoy it beyond your imagination. Thank you.

I was a Scout here in America. I absolutely loved it and had the good fortune of spending part of the Summer of 1977 with an English family in Manchester as part of a Boy Scout Exchange Program. What fun we had with the English Scouts. I learned how to cuss out someone like a Brit. And that Potato Chips are actually called Crisps. But seriously, many of us owe thanks to Lord Powell for learning skills that helped us survive bad situations. I was in the Military and I was better prepared .I’d always heard that Lord BP had seen the complete unpreparedness of the British Army and wanted to help boys learn skills. This video obviously shows that wasn’t quite correct. But anyway , Thank You Lord Powell! Be Prepared!

Love it, really excellent Chris.