Libby Audiobook: Commando, A Boer Journal of the Ango-Boer War, Deneys Reitz

 

This was a fascinating listen. As someone whose great-grandmother was in a concentration camp during the Anglo-Boer War, I have always been intrigued by this part of history, and this account gave an unusually close view into the life of a young Boer soldier.

While riding the Gautrain recently, I sat next to three boys Libby Audiobook: Commando, A Boer Journal of the Ango-Boer War, Deneys Reitz who could not have been older than 17 or 18. I could not help but think that those were the same ages as many who went off to fight in the war, both Boer and English. So young, so eager for the idea of war, yet so unaware of what it would really mean.

I would have preferred to listen to it in Afrikaans for a more authentic experience, but John Maytham’s narration was clear and well-paced.

One drawback was the lengthy foreword or preface, which unfortunately reveals most of the story before it even begins.

The early parts of the book portray what almost felt like a gentleman’s war, where there was an understanding that wounded Boers would be cared for by the English. That tone shifts drastically once Kitchener becomes involved, with the scorched earth policy and the destruction of farms and homes.

Overall, it was a deeply interesting account. I am now particularly curious to learn more about Deneys Reitz’s later time in Madagascar.

4/5