The final phase of the South African War of 1899-1902, in which Boer guerrillas were eventually overcome by British forces, has been extensively studied by historians. The concentration camps, in which an estimated 27,000 civilians died as part of a policy of depriving the Boer commandos of their support base, are particularly well known. Much less has been written about the blockhouses – the large network of small forts built by the British to protect their supply lines and partition the veldt during the ‘scorched earth’ stage of the war.
In Simon Green these fortifications have found an extremely thorough and engaging chronicler. The author brings to bear his own experience as a soldier; and a deep knowledge of the South African landscape and heritage informs his writing.
Green has visited all of the surviving blockhouses – roughly 80 buildings, out of some 9,000 constructed during the war. A companion volume, Anglo-Boer War Blockhouses: a field guide, is being prepared for those who wish to visit them.
