Commando: A Boer Journal of the Boer War

by Deneys Reitz

Today the word “commando” conjures a picture of daring special forces raids, but originally it was the Boer word for a mobile column of fighting men.

This is the account of one such fighting man.

Aged just seventeen Deneys Reitz, son of the ex-President of the Orange Free State and then State Secretary of the South African Republic, took up his rifle and joined the Boer Army.

It was 1899, and tensions between Great Britain and the Transvaal Republic and Orange Free State had reached boiling point.

From their initial strikes into Natal to the surge of British troops and the transition to bloody guerrilla warfare, through luck and family ties Reitz was present at most of the major events.

Not published until 1929, ‘Commando’ remains one of the most unique and important pieces of literature about the conflict.

J. C. Smuts summed it up best in his preface: “Wars pass, but the human soul endures; the interest is not so much in the war as in the human experience behind it. This book tells the simple straightforward story of what the Boer War meant to one participant in it.”

Deneys Reitz (1882-1944) was a Boer solider, lawyer, author and politician. In the aftermath of the Second Boer War, he went into exile alongside his father and brothers, spending time in Madagascar before returning to South Africa and studying law. When WWI swept across the globe he fought alongside the British against the Germans, first in Africa and then on the Western Front, rising to command a battalion.

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Genres: History, Africa, South Africa, Military Fiction, War, Nonfiction, Biography

113 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1930

Reviews

[JD · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deneys Reitz takes you along in the saddle in this epic memoir of the Anglo-Boer War from the starting days in 1899 to the "bittereinders" in 1902. He experienced a lot of actions from Spioenkop, the retreat from the Free State and Jan Smuts' raid into the Cape Colony, and met many high ranking officials and officers and gives an all round perspective of the fighting from the sieges, the trenches and the guerillas. This is probably the best book on the war and is honestly written and vividly described, and was written originally in 1903 when he was in exile in Madagascar. Great book by a great man and I highly recommend this to all readers, even if you are not interested in warfare.

[John Cass · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great first hand account of the Anglo-Boer war, from the perspective of an unusually astute young boer foot soldier.

Deneys Reitz not only saw a lot of action in the war, being involved in many of the most notable battles of which he gives a full personal account, but he also met many of the leaders and most prominent dignitaries involved in the conflict (Kruger, de la Rey, Smuts, Churchill, and others). As such, he is able to provide intimate details on the day to day life of the fighting men, and short vignettes of the personalities that helped a young fledgling nation take a stand against the British Empire.

"A lamentable tale of things done long ago, and ill done."

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is first hand account of the 2nd Boer War from the perspective a young Boer soldier. The book is well written and the account shows the hardships of both conventional war and the guerrilla war that was fought thereafter.
Considering that this book was never written in the authors first language, it was a huge achievement.
This is a great read if you are into historical accounts from a first hand perspective.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

War is a zero-sum game especially when it is part of a colonialist scheme. I cringed at the names mentioned in this book, Smuts, Botha, so reminiscent of SA's more recent horrific past (somehow I could not get myself to go beyond their more recent connotations). Still one of my ancestors is mentioned here in the battefield so vicariously I'm part of this madness. I found this book certainly interesting historically, the dynamics of the Anglo-Boer war explained in detail from a participant observer. The realisation that Boers could only hope to win some victories against the British via using guerilla tactics really changed the course of this conflict and gave the Boers at times the upper hand despite their markedly inferior numbers and equipment thanks to their knowledge of terrain. Reitz had guts is all I can say, his youth, smartness and determination often saving the day. The Boers in general come out here as tough, resilient, hard and certainly key in shaping this wonderful nation called South Africa. I couldnt help but think that so many of the descendants of these men - Coetzee and Malan, to name but two - helped shape the literature of this nation. I enjoyed the latter part of the book more, maybe because there was more of a clear goal, reaching the sea and gathering back forces. As a historic document I cannot deny it is superb.

[Gerold Whittaker]

The narrative of (later to be) Colonel Reitz who, as a 17-year-old, fought against the British in the Anglo-Boer War, and 30 years later commanded a British Regiment in France. If you have ties to South Africa, this book will be of interest to you as it is packed with history.

[Wim · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a refreshing look on the Anglo-Boer war. An auto-biography which understates the events yet also provides such vivid descriptions that the book at times seemed like a fantasy! The hardships that this young man went through and the life lessons he learnt, and all that without any sense of bitterness - in fact, this book should be prescribed to any soldier wanting to go to war, in terms of how to treat your enemy with utter respect - when you are the winner and also when you are the loser. Respect!

[Predrag · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic. One of the most capable and brave Boer commandants wrote this memoir. Everybody who would like to more about the Boer War should read this. Also, Thomas Packenham: Boer War and memoirs of Jan Smuts.

[Scripps Wilkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating first hand perspective of a conflict that gets little discussion. The Boers were an incredibly tough people and the author talks about watching friends get killed, participating in executions, and the beauty of South Africa all in the same matter of fact manner.

In the book, written before WW1, you can start to see the descent of warfare from a limited, almost gentlemanly, conflict to the industrialized form culminated in WW2. The first concentrations camps, barbed wire, and the machine gun are all introduced to lethal effect. The book is a window providing a rare glimpse into that transitional period. Of a young boy unknowing witnessing a transformational shift while also going through the ups and downs of war itself.

[Reinher Behrens · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful book and an amazing adventure, Commando is a timeless story of courage, endurance, and the triumph of the human spirit over adversity. Reitz’s first-hand account of the Anglo-Boer War is not only gripping and fast-paced, but also deeply human and reflective. A classic war memoir that remains as relevant and inspiring today as when it was first written.

[Bas Kreuger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Het boek van Reitz is een sterk en invoelbaar verhaal door zijn eenvoud van verteltrant en gewoonheid van het leven in oorlog. Reitz heeft een open oog voor de mensen in de strijd van Boer en Rooinek, van zijn medestrijders, de paarden en muilezels, de zwarte bedienden (die hij opvallend modern beschrijft) tot de Britten die weliswaar de tegenstander zijn, maar niet een hatelijke vijand.
Vooral het tweede deel over de guerillaoorlog die hij onder bevel van Jan Smuts voerde, op weg en in de Kaapkolonie, geeft de hopeloze zaak van de Boeren goed weer. Uitsluitend de bijna 18e eeuwse bereidheid van Reitz en zijn maten om enorme ontberingen te ondergaan van het leven in het "velt", in de openlucht, met alleen een paard, een Mausergeweer en een dunne deken om onder te slapen, maakt dat de Boerenkommando's lange tijd konden blijven opereren en de Boeren weliswaar de militaire kant van de strijd verloren, maar aan de publicitaire kant punten scoorden. De oorlog werd zo verloren, de vrede en een 'eigen' Zuid Afrika uiteindelijk gewonnen. Het is dat wij weten hoe Zuid Afrika na de Tweede Wereldoorlog de Apartheid in is gegaan om het boek niet een veel mooier einde te geven.
Het derde deel van het boek is boeiend als Reitz beschrijft hoe hij in Madagaskar probeert een bestaan op te bouwen, met enorme ontberingen die met een dagelijkse vanzelfsprekendheid worden beschreven.

Kommando, van menne en peerde in het Afrikaans lezen voegt veel toe. Het verhaal kruipt dan als het ware onder je huid. Aanrader.

[Chris Wray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this first-hand account of the Second Boer War, unusually written from the Boer perspective. Deneys Reitz was 17 at the outbreak of hostilities in 1899 and fought through the entire war before going into exile in Madagascar in 1902 (rather than sign the declaration of surrender), where he wrote this account of the war. He writes with an immediacy and raciness that makes his book feel like a series of journalistic dispatches. In his teens and early twenties, during the events he recounts (and when he wrote about them), his youthful enthusiasm for adventure and danger comes through strongly. Paradoxically, the other quality that he demonstrates is typical Boer stoicism in the face of adversity and hardship.

The main events of the war are recounted from a first-hand perspective, as the Boers initially engage in conventional warfare and suffer a number of defeats, before switching to conducting more of a guerrilla style insurgency. Reitz writes with a fairly light tone, and most of the horrors of the war in South Africa are kept in the background. One exception is his account of the trial and execution of a spy during his time with Jan Smuts in Cape Colony towards the end of the war.

This is as fresh and vivid as when it was written, and distinctively captures the combination of carefree youthfulness and tough stoicism that I suspect are common to soldiers in all wars.

[Richard Mayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully written, the best memoir of the Anglo-Boer War by a burgher who was son of a President of the Free State who fought in almost all theatres of the conflict. It would make an epic motion picture or TV series as Reitz's escapades, adventures and narrow escapes which make for great reading would make for great viewing. This is the only book I have read three times - at 12, at 20 and 46. In the preface to the copy I have recalls the visit to Reitz one dark London afternoon in 1944 when he was SA High Commissioner in London by an English aristocrat. He returned to Reitz his mauser which with Reitz wounded him but had to abandon for lack of ammunition some 44 years previously. In the foreword Field Marshall JC Smuts states the book embodies the romance of South Africa, a sentiment with which I agree, but it is a romance with a regrettable amount of blood, suffering, tragedy and bitterness which we have amazingly been able to transcend and forge a nation from our warring factions.

[Katherine Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is no better way to immerse yourself in history than by reading a first-hand account. I loved Reitz's gritty truthfulness, giving you an insider's peek into the hardships he endured as a Boer soldier in the Anglo-Boer War. It's incredible that he was involved in so many campaigns - Natal, the Orange Free State and the Northern Cape, which gives you a sweeping sense of the drama of the war. A hallmark of his writing is his unflinching honesty. I really hope this book gets made into a film soon - it deserves it.

[Fra007 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a violent, tragic and moving story of men fighting against the British Empire, to defend their land... a lost cause for these soldiers, but an incredible courage and an unbreakable tenacity they had. This war was one of the first modern conflicts, with shells, dynamite bombings, concentration camps (created by the English !!) and scorched-earth strategy... Well-written and vivid storytelling styled. To my opinion a masterpiece of military history. Hail to the Boers.

[Simon Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

A seminal work and a must read to capture the spirit and the way the Anglo-Boer War was fought from the Boer perspective. Written soon after the end of the war it is highly descriptive and an east read. I was left with an over whelming feeling of admiration for this man, his views and impartiality.

[Dave Glass · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite books. A must-read for any South Africans, or those with an interest in the Anglo-Boer war.

[Gregarious · Rating 4 out of 5]

Also read Packenham. Both books are
insightful and well-researched.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an autobiographical work of Mr. Reitz’s time in the commandoes during the last of the Boer Wars. The author limited the scope of this work to the actual war and only referenced his antebellum life in the first chapter or in passing in later chapters. This was a refreshing change from some modern autobiographies of war that spend large portions of the book discussing life before the war service is ever discussed.
Despite being a Boer, the author neither defends all Boers nor condemns all British. He obviously felt very strongly about the Boer cause and felt angry about some British tactics (like the summary execution of any Boer wearing khakis), but the writing remained very even-handed. The chronological retelling helped keep the events in perspective, with the only criticism being a lack of maps to help the reader follow Reitz’s journeys. The author also managed to describe the daily life of a commando without making it seem boring or tedious. Combat was described in detail but still maintained a fast tempo. All together, the author did a commendable job with mixing combat and daily life together in a way that elevated both and put both in perspective.
I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who is studying the Second Boer War. While it focuses on only a small portion of the war, it offers insights the other more all-encompassing books cannot.

[Walton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a phenomenally good book. It's amazing just as an adventure story. When you add in its historical value, it really becomes something special. The day to day life of the war, the attitudes, the details, the food, the relationships, are all fascinating. Churchill is in there, as is Jan Smuts.

There are fascinating details: the Boer commandos are, essentially, anarchist in structure. You join any one you like, and leave if you've had enough. If you don't feel like attacking, you don't. If you're defeated, you disappear for a bit, then form another commando.

Also interesting: the Boer side includes German and Dutch fighters, which is to be expected, but also Irish, English and Jewish soldiers, all fighting against the British Empire.

Despite the brutality of the British, with their concentration camps and scorched earth policy, soldiers on both sides fight honourably, and when Boers are wounded, they leave them behind, because they know the British will care for them.

As a fight between rival colonialists, the racial politics is interesting too, with a tacit agreement that as this is a white man's war, the indigenous population should be left out of it. This is not adhered to, and the Black population suffered greatly.

Along with a few other essential primary sources, this is a really great read to understand something of how South Africa ended up the way it did.

[Tim Wickenden · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most authentic and finest book on the 2nd Boer war as seen through the eyes of a young Boer fighter. It is expertly written, fast-paced and takes you deep into the culture and methods used by the Boer guerilla fighters during this brutal conflict. The accounts of combat are excellently told as is the descriptions of life on horseback taking the fight to Britain's massed troops with artillery support and a wealth of supplies and materials. I highly recommend this book and it will appeal to modern readers and those interested in that period of history. A must read for all students of South African history.

The book does contain difficult to digest attitudes to black South Africans that are unpalatable to modern readers but it is an historical account and important that we understand the context of the Boer's feelings toward the indigenous peoples, particularly those who sided with the British.

Ultimately this book highlights one of Britain's lowest points in its largely shameful empire building period.

[Russell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmm, I don't know. This one just didn't blow my skirt up. I'm a connoisseur of war books and there are very few on the Boer War from the Boer perspective but this wasn't my favorite.

Reitz did not capture the experience in my opinion. It was more a collection of events told from a largely stoic perspective. It's hard to describe but I didn't feel the passion and experience of the Boer warrior from this book, with the exception of Reitz losing his horse and his apparent compassion for the animal victims of this war. Having been a soldier myself, I understand the experience of being cut off from society at large for periods of time. Reitz captures that well, which leaves his book lacking any depiction of objectives, details and reasons for the tactics the Boers employed. I'm likely more knowledgeable on the Boer War than the average Joe and I found that a necessary prerequisite to somewhat grasp this book.

His writing style is easy to read and gets to the point but eh, this book was good for a Boer War enthusiast but unlikely to be so for the average reader. 2.5 *s but I'll round up to 3 since Reitz got to whack some English.

[Bobby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful Accounting

The Boer Wars were a dark blot in English history and an unwinnable war from the beginning for the Boers. Outnumbered, outgunned and lacking armaments the Boers fought with heart and conviction. This book written by a young Boer warrior emphasizes the effort and "will to win" attitude that kept the well-equipped English army looking over it's shoulders for several years.

[Kobus Van · Rating 4 out of 5]

A best book about the Boer War I read yet.

This book is more than 100 years old. It is well written, and have a story line. But some knowledge of South African history will be useful.This event shaped the history of Southern Africa (There are other books on that, some more biased than others. ) But, in this time Smuts, Ghandi and Churchill met.
This is a time where farmers(More white than black, but that is just demografic) are under a different siege.

[Rudi Opperman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating first hand story of Deneys Reitz (who later became a politician) who fought for the Boers against the British Empire all over the Boer republics and the Cape and Natal colonies. A war that lasted three years, where at the end eighteen thousand Boers were fighting four hundred thousand British troops.

[R · Rating 3 out of 5]

My rating is very harsh/strict. I did enjoy the book as I am fascinated by military history, especially in KwaZulu-Natal. However, the diary format doesn't provide for an easy/seamless reading experience - in my opinion. I know that is the purpose of this book, but that's what was the difference between 4 stars and 3 stars for me.

[Peter van der Schyff · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rivetting read, taking the reader into the trenches and saddles of boer soldiers during the Anglo-Boer War. Although written in rather dated English (it was written in 1903, immediately after conclusion of the war), I could not put the book down and often used Google Maps to trace the campaigns and excursions he was involved in. Brilliant rendition of a cruel and senseless war.

[D.M. Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic

This is a very readable book. It is remarkable how a civilized decent man took such satisfaction in shooting people.
It deals with Deneys Reitz’s role in the three year Boer War.
The lessons are to give up when you’ve lost. Nothing was achieved in the last two years except misery.
The racial attitudes of white superiority were ingrained as is apparent from the text.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

A moderate Boer wrote an exciting account of guerilla warfare against the British while marooned on Madagascar following the war. From getting dominated on the battlefield to being part of the Smuts guerilla campaign, this is a fast read that is light on politics and more about life on the run.

[JD · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book takes patience. It's not necessarily a military story more so an adventure with war as a backdrop. Anything strategic or tactical has to be deduced. The uniqueness of the Commando is left to the reader to absorb. Ironically, when I was at the point of putting the book down, I was hooked.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-written and easily readable story of a young man's advengure. Perhaps distance lent some softening to the descriptions of the hardships he endured. A good companion to Thomas Pakenham's The Boer War