Customer Reviews

Commando: A Boer Journal of the Boer War

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Commando is the first and best known of the Deneys Reitz trilogy. It autobiographically tells the story of his part in the Boer War. He started as the sixteen year old son of a prominent Boer politician and ended with him joining Jan Smutts on his raid on Port Elizabeth. This is a story of guerrilla warfare based on minimal resources, for instance they used to visit the abandoned camp sites of British Columns just to pick up ammunition that the Tommies had dropped. They then used this to attack the very soldiers who had dropped it.

However, at the end of the Boer War Reitz was unable to accept British rule and went into exile and this is where the second volume, Trekking On starts. After a disastrous effort at hauling freight by ox cart in Madagascar which nearly cost him is life, Reitz is persuaded by Smutts to return to South Africa where he regains his health and enters local politics. At the outbreak of W.W.II Reitz joins the South African Army and takes part in the putting down of the Maritz rebellion and the campaigns in East Africa. Once the Germans are defeated in Africa he travels to England and , having decided firmly which side he would prefer to be on, joins the British Army as a private. Following a chance meeting with Smutts in London he experiences a dizzying rise in rank and ends the war, after seeing much action as the Colonel of a famous Scottish regiment.

The final book in the trilogy, No Outspan, covers Reitz's life in South African politics between the wars and concludes with him as Deputy Prime Minister of South Africa sitting on an advisory panel to Winston Churchill. in London. During this time he is visited by an Englishman who returned to him the Mauser rifle he took from him when Reitz became his prisoner during the Boer War. The last time I heard this rifle is still in the possession of Reitz's son and is regularly shot by him.

The Trilogy has been published by Wolfe Publishing as a one volume set in recent years and if you see a copy for sale, grab it!

Written by a teenager, albeit, a resourceful, fit, intelligent son of a farmer and distinguished South African, it recounts in considerable detail the honourable soldiering on horseback and mule of young Deneys Reitz. His many encounters with the enemy; the harsh weather, difficult landscape, starvation and disease on a guerilla operation that lasted over two years, is testament in part to luck, but also to his survival skills, marksmanship, courage and tenacity. A great read which should be read with some advantage in conjunction with The Boer War by Thomas Pakenham.

Deneys Reitz joined the Boer forces fighting against the English in the 1900 / 02 Boer War in South Africa. While still in his late teens he fought in the famous battles of Spionkop and Nooitgedacht and took part in the seige of Kimberley. His book is an account of the mobile "commando" war and is compelling for its humanity and the historical perspective it gives of a war in which the civilian dead matched those who died in action and a war in which guerrilla tactics were used for the first time.

Written in a matter of fact style, the simple experiences of a young man at war are piled one upon the other with no guile and in a straightforward manner. What emerges is one of the greatest stories of war of all time. This stands alongside Dispatches and Black Hawk Down but is perhaps even more remarkable as it was written by a young man at war, not a professional writer or journalist.

As a student of military history Reitz's book is well worth the read. However, the current copy was reprinted by [...] or some such place that obviously does not have a proof reader or editor on staff. In many places they made up new words to be inserted in place of the correct word. This occurs nearly every other page. In many cases these obscure words totally change the meaning of the paragraph. I have read the original and it does not contain such errors.

Deneys Reitz's memoire of the Second Boer War is a Classic and has been since its publication. My only problem is that this 2008 edition by CruGuru contains examples of some of the sloppiest proofreading/printing I have ever seen. Misspelled words are frequent and completely wrong words substituted are even more frequent.

"Commando", which contains little strategy but a great deal of human reaction to close combat, can be read and enjoyed by anyone. But buy an edition from a different publisher.

First person account by Reitz of his experiences during the Anglo-Boer War. In-depth insight of day-to-day operations during war, its warriors, and the strength and pure ruthlessness of men from a generation almost forgotten. A real life account that compares with the best of action novels. A true classic.

First person narrative of the Boer War written just one year after the end of the war. Gives unusual insight into the life of a Boer commando during this conflict with the mighty British army.

Excellent primary source for research papers on the Boer War! I highly reccommend it!

An Amazing story, That is all true. This really sheds some light on what the Boers did and how they staid in the field so long. Shines some light on the leading hisorical figures of the war.

I found that this book gave me more information on the boer war then any other book I have ever read.