Who were the underdogs who took on British Imperial forces - and beat them? How could an old farmer who had beaten them before (Piet Cronje), and a middle-aged farmer, who did not want to fight them anyway (De La Rey), embarrass Queen Victoria's high officers like Lord Methuen? When did the most powerful man in Africa enable the capable commandant to hold out - while blighting his career? Why did the Queen's crack regiments turn their backs on the enemy? What lessons in application, patience and loyalty to oath given does Tommy Atkins give to us, in the 21st century? Who were the modern figures that still live through their letters and diaries in Regimental Archives, in spite of being dead. How could the Boers justify shelling civilians, or the British of all people not know that women and kids were dying in concentration camps? When did the accepted European Rules of War get turned over for ever? Why, when Bobs is nothing but a statue, and Rhodes the ghostof a chancer, does it matter? The Seige of Kimberley answers all these questions and more in a readable and authoritative way.

Lewis Childs
Paperback, 160 pages, 2001