The Sound Of Boer Rifles

As the first Boer War rages around them, Andrew Baird - the son of Jack Windrush - and Mariana Maxwell attempt to navigate the tumultuous backdrop of British annexation and the Boer struggle for independence. Leading his Natal Dragoons to bloody battles and enduring Boer sieges, Andrew must balance his duties with helping Mariana recover from her mental drama. Searching for a German agent, can he cope with the various strands of his life while fighting an elusive enemy, and is the British military objective the same as the politicians desire? Andrew faces an enemy as clever as himself as he rides across the African veld. And this time, he will need all his wit and resolve to triumph over adversity. The second book in Malcolm Archibald's series of historical war novels, THE SOUND OF BOER RIFLES is a gripping journey through the battlefields of the First Boer War of 1880-1881.

"With Rifle and Bayonet" likely tells the story of a young protagonist who becomes embroiled in the events of a historical conflict or war. The title suggests a focus on combat and military action, with the characters being actively involved in armed conflicts. Throughout the novel, readers can expect to encounter vivid descriptions of battle scenes, the camaraderie among soldiers, and the challenges and hardships faced by those on the front lines. F. S. Brereton's writing often emphasizes themes of patriotism, bravery, and heroism as the characters navigate the trials of war. While I don't have specific details about the plot of this particular book, it can be assumed that "With Rifle and Bayonet" is a thrilling adventure novel that offers readers a glimpse into a specific historical period and the experiences of those who lived through it. Overall, F. S. Brereton's novels, including "With Rifle and Bayonet," are known for their engaging storytelling and historical accuracy, making them appealing to readers interested in action-packed historical fiction.

South Africa, 1877. Andrew Baird is a man trying to escape his past. The son of the famous “Fighting Jack Windrush” of the Royal Malverns, Andrew hopes to forge his own path away from the shadow of his father. Amidst the turbulence of the Zulu-British War of 1879, Andrew finds love with Elaine Maxwell. But after Elaine dies tragically and her sister is kidnapped, Andrew must confront the Zulus in bloody battles, driven by the hope of rescuing the woman and proving his worth beyond his father's legacy. Grappling with his inner demons and battling a relentless enemy, can Andrew find the strength to overcome adversity and claim his own destiny, or will his past forever haunt his pursuit? Malcolm Archibald's "The Noise of Zulu Battle" immerses readers in a captivating era of courage and sacrifice. With its rich historical detail and compelling narrative, this epic historical novel takes readers on a thrilling journey through war-torn landscapes, where one man's determination becomes a testament to the indomitable human spirit.

From award-winning author Fred Stenson comes a richly evocative new novel, at once brutal and tender, spare of language, and profoundly moving. The Great Karoo begins in 1899, as the British are trying to wrest control of the riches of South Africa from the Boers, the Dutch farmers who claimed the land. The Boers have turned out to be more resilient than expected, so the British have sent a call to arms to their colonies — and an a great number of men from the Canadian prairies answer the call and join the Canadian Mounted Rifles: a unit in which they can use their own beloved horses. They assume their horses will be able to handle the desert terrain of the Great Karoo as readily as the plains of their homeland. Frank Adams, a cowboy from Pincher Creek, joins the Rifles, along with other young men from the ranches and towns nearby — a mix of cowboys and mounted policeman, who, for whatever reason, feel a desire to fight for the Empire in this far-off war. Against a landscape of extremes, Frank forms intense bonds with Ovide Smith, a French cowboy who proves to be a reluctant soldier, and Jefferson Davis, the nephew of a prominent Blood Indian chief, who is determined to prove himself in a “white man’s war.” As the young Canadians engage in battle with an entrenched and wily enemy, they are forced to realize the bounds of their own loyalty and courage, and confront the arrogance and indifference of those who have led them into conflict. For Frank, disillusionment comes quickly, and his allegiance to those from the Distict of Alberta, soon displaces any sense of patriotism to Canada or Britain, or belief that he’s fighting for a just cause. The events of the novel follow the trajectory of the war. The British strategy of burning Boer farms, destroying herds, and moving Boer families into camps weakens the Boer rebels, but they refuse to give up. The thousands of Boer women and children who die in the camp make the war ever more unpopular among liberals in Britain. (In fact, this conflict marked the first use of the term “concentration camp” in war.) Seeing the ramifications of such short-sighted military decisions, and how they affect what happens to Frank and the other Canadians, is crucial to depicting the reality of the Boer War. By focusing on the experiences of a small group of men from southern Alberta, Fred Stenson brings the reality of what it would have been like to be a soldier in this brutal war to vivid life. The Great Karoo is a deeply satisfying novel, marked by the complexities of its plot, the subtleties of its relationships, and the scale of its terrain. Exhilarating and gruesome by turns, it explores with passion and insight the lasting warmth of friendship and the legacy of devastation occasioned by war.

War broke out in 1899 between the British and South African settlers of Dutch descent, the Boers, or Afrikaners as they are usually called today. Despite previous clashes, the British seriously underestimated their opponents. Although dressed in battered civilian clothes and made up entirely of volunteers, Boer troops were all mounted on horses and had very up-to-date German rifles.An even more unpleasant surprise than the mounted riflemen were the Boer artillery units. They were the only Boer troops to wear uniforms, were organized on a full-time basis, and were equipped with excellent German field pieces. The British artillery soon found itself out-gunned and out-ranged.Some British officers, however, were capable of adapting to the new conditions in South Africa. Royal Naval vessels anchored off the Cape had powerful, long-range cannons. It was decided to try bringing these guns ashore and mounting them on improvised carriages for field use. Naval infantry brigades had served in some previous campaigns, and proved capable of accompanying the army as gun crews, their straw hats and naval leggings identifiable in many wartime photographs.Although they were depicted in many wartime drawings and photographs, no serious study of the naval artillery has ever been done. Tony Bridgland has spent many years researching the topic and has produced a study of the technical problems involved in this unique operation, as well as a colourful narrative of naval personnel pressed into hazardous service far from the sea.

The war declared by the Boers on 11 October 1899 gave the British, as Kipling said, 'no end of a lesson'. It proved to be the longest, the costliest, the bloodiest and the most humiliating campaign that Britain fought between 1815 and 1914. Thomas Pakenham has written the first full-scale history of the war since 1910. His narrative is based on first-hand and largely unpublished sources ranging from the private papers of the leading protagonists to the recollections of survivors from both sides. Out of this historical gold-mine, the author has constructed a narrative as vivid and fast-moving as a novel, and a history that in scholarship, breadth and impact will endure for many years.

Keen to participate in the Boer War, famous author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle initially volunteered to be a soldier but was rejected. Determined to play some part, Doyle went on to become a medic with the British army in 1900. ‘The Great Boer War’ is his account of the conflict. He draws on the eye-witness accounts of patients he treated, as well as his own first-hand experiences to present a fascinating overview of the war. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) was a British author, best known as the creator of the world-famous detective Sherlock Holmes. Born in Edinburgh, he was educated in England and Austria before studying medicine at the University of Edinburgh. It was during his time at university that Doyle began writing short stories, submitting them to magazines and journals. His first Sherlock Holmes novel, ‘A Study in Scarlet’ was written in just three weeks and published in 1887 to favourable reviews, and more Sherlock adventures followed. By 1893, Doyle was growing tired of Sherlock and attempted to kill him off in the story ‘The Final Problem’, but public outcry caused him to resurrect the famous detective. He featured in a total of 56 short stories and four novels along with his trusty sidekick Dr Watson and made Doyle one of the best-paid authors of the time. The stories have been adapted multiple times; most recently in the successful BBC series ‘Sherlock’ starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. Later literary works included the Professor Challenger series which began with ‘The Lost World’, in which Challenger sets out to find evidence of prehistoric life. The book inspired numerous adaptations, including the films ‘Jurassic Park’ and ‘The Lost World’. In later life Doyle became captivated by the world of spiritualism and the occult and published non-fiction works about his beliefs including ‘The Coming of the Fairies’. Arthur Conan Doyle died at home in 1930.