Скачать или смотреть Ron Gold History Series Part 4. Anglo Boer War: 4) – The Armies prepare

With the failure of the ‘Peace Conference’ of May 1899, both the British and the Boers began to prepare for the war which many. but not all, realised was inevitable.
For the Boers, on their home ground, preparations were easier. The regional militia groups, called ‘Commandos’ were put on alert. Traditionally, all men between the ages of 16 and 60 were required to report to their nearest town or village. Each had to bring his horse, a rifle, ammunition, and food for 8 days. They elected their officers and were ready to go. Things were a little different this time around with many Boers being issued with modern German Mauser rifles. Shooting practice was mandated, and the Commandos were grouped together under the command of more senior officers who were either appointed or elected. Neutral observers, amazed by the apparent chaos that accompanied the Boer mobilisation, did not fully appreciated that amidst the chaos was a modern army in the making – an army with a steely resolve.
The British were caught off-guard by the speed with which events were moving. They were not ready for a war and preparations would take time. There were divisions in the cabinet and amongst the public at large, with many factions opposed to war. Wars were not as popular as they had once been as they were costly and resented by the taxpayers, who had to foot the bill. There were not enough troops in South Africa. Reinforcements would be needed sooner rather than later. Major General Sir William Penn-Symons was sent to South Africa to assess the situation. Reservists were called up to form the Army Corps, which was put on stand-by. Staff in the Quartermaster’s Division began hurriedly to arrange to make up shortages of ammunition, tinned food, uniforms, horse-harnesses, and many other items. The sights on the latest .303 Lee-Enfield rifles had been found to be faulty and so the problems mounted
Then, amid the confusion, the Boers issued their ultimatum, which had only 48 hours to expiry.