The Mancunians at war : a new military history of the Manchester Battalions during the South African War, 1899-1902

Abstract

This thesis investigates the experiences of British soldiers during the South African War (1899 – 1902), from the perspective of the Manchester Regiment, as a subset of New Military History. To reconstruct their experiences, the dissertation draws on letters, diaries, and other documents in the Manchester Regiment Archive, and the large but underutilised source of soldiers’ letters published in British newspapers. The latter is the main origin of the Manchesters’ ‘voices’. This thesis represents the first in-depth application of the systematic, thematic-chronological approach to a single British regiment during the South African War. It begins with the send-off from Manchester and the journey to South Africa. Once in South Africa, their dichotomous perceptions of the environment and its people are explored. The research demonstrates how the Manchesters quickly resorted to looting, especially to supplement insufficient rations, before the ‘scorched earth’ phase of the war. Life on campaign was dominated by duties and associated drudgeries, especially marching, insufficient hygiene, and lack of sleep. To cope with the various discomforts, the Manchesters distracted themselves through various methods, such as sports. Death and danger, however, was always close. On occasion the Manchesters engaged the enemy in battle and skirmishes, although the Boers proved a frustrating enemy to fight, often well-hidden and rarely stood their ground. Illness, especially typhoid, was the other far more dangerous threat. One of the key factors in almost all of the Manchesters’ experiences was the influence of the environment they campaigned in, which although beautiful, was also the source of much of their challenges. The Manchesters adapted, but in the process, the distinction between the professional British soldier and the militia-based enemy began to be blurred.