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Book review: Heaten & Lewis 'The Four-War Boer - The Century and Life of Pieter Arnoldus Krueler'
 [Pages 54-55] Word of the British retreat (at Spion Kop) spread among the Boers, and Krueler heard the news from his wooden bed. They had won: Botha himself came and told him, and then the general looked at his wound: "Keep that clean to avoid infection. We will need you soon again young Peiter," and again the general rubbed his head. "Give me your letters, I will send a rider to at least one place. I have to send a man to Kimberley, where I believe your brother is." Krueler nodded and handed over his bag of letters, to be included with the dozens of letters from many other men. Many of these men were now dead, their final words preserved for all time to family and friends who would never see them again. When Reitz came into the bunker he ordered one of the men to organize a burial detail. He then gave another order; British and Boer were to be buried separately, but all were to be interred with respect and reverence. They would all be buried as soldiers and the names registered, the graves recorded. The British wounded were to be given the same care as Boers, each wounded man treated according to his wound, and not his nationality or rank. Krueler remarked about the apparent class distinction that pervaded the British Army. There was some disgruntlement among the British, one fellow in particular, who felt that rank above the severity of the would determined the order of treatment. I heard this myself. One of the older burghers simply said, 'and that is why you British will one day lose your empire,' and I always remember that comment, and the prediction that comment became. Posted by: Besoeker 2020-02-04 |
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