Boer War to World War: Tactics and Training in the British Army 1902 - 1914 | Spencer Jones

[@RailfanDownunder]

Superb .... Always enjoy Dr Spencer Jones talking on the BEF

[@theodoresmith5272]

DR. Spencer Jones is one of my favorite speakers. He gives lots of info but spends enough time on all to make it clear and explain who everyone is. Plus he brings it all together into an easy to listen to and pleasant talk.

[@esterharris249]

Yeah he is also wrong…the British taxed the Afrikaner between 60 and 70%in Cape ,The Xoshas attacked them non stop ,so they moved inner land,the slave trade was long gone abolish when this war took place..the boers was outnumbered 20 to 1 ,still the British could not beat them…then they went to our farms took the women ,children and black farm workers…and threw them in consecration camps that would make Hitler blush….and Btw they also put the blacks “separate” from the whites and had no problem mixing their food with glass like they did with our women and children…that was the only reason why the war stopped…and if you know South African history you will find out that it was the British that introduced “apartheid “ in SA,when we got independence in1951 the Afrikaner just continued with the system

[@albireoselous]

This is without a doubt one of the best lectures from this channel.

[@lovablesnowman]

Love a good Spencer Jones talk. Great speaker

[@IanCross-xj2gj]

Brilliant presentation. Lessons from the second Boer war. Firepower. Movement with Artillery support. Entrenchment. The Lee Enfield .303 rifle was a game changer. Succintly summarised.

[@fadugleman]

Top notch lecture

[@JH-zf4by]

Thank you. Very informative. I bred boerperd’s (well what I consider a traditional South African riding horse. It’s such a shame that we don’t have the original bloodline of the boerperd.) I live the breed for its temperament, movement, conformation, hardiness and rideable comfort.

[@robertmills8640]

Always good to hear a talk from Dr. Jones. Always informative and entertaining.

[@paulamchale9522]

Very accessible and easy to follow. Loved it❤❤❤

[@michaelweaver7898]

Just heard Dr Jones give an online talk on the Boer war to the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. Superb lecturer. Wonderful talk.

[@suxcawks]

Great talk, shall have to read his books. I read the entire Sharpe series and then started reading heavily about WW1 and the transition from close order, line formation battle to the stormtroop tactics of WW1 fascinates me.

[@michellejean11]

The new found wealth of the Boer's is new information to me and explains the British relentless pursuit of the war at all costs.

[@Splodge542]

Music to my ears. You can't say that about many lecturers but in this case yes. Great lectures. Ace lectures.

[@MrOhdead]

Superb presentation, few more books on my wishlist now!

[@BoerChris]

Thank you so much for this talk. I am particularly interested in tactical developments actually during the Anglo-Boer War.

[@Sam-tc8ic]

Coming back to this lecture and re listening to the fire and movement section has made me realise how the concept hasn't really changed. At my school's CCF, we do section attack drills or when on exercise with blanks the concept hasn't (in my very limited opinion) changed much or at all. For example on fire team fires while the other moves and repeat. I just find it awesome how we can draw these parallels from combat 100 years ago to now and how close they are!

[@20chocsaday]

I was shown that as a Good Example 50 years ago on a film. Some RM training seems to involve running over a course where they are liable to encounter an enemy SUDDENLY.

[@seelow12]

Great lecture, thank you Spencer

[@timheywood7521]

Three things that come to mind listening to this presentation, firstly the depth of knowledge of Dr Jones is fantastic and to be lauded. The other two are more subjective. Knowing the number of times that the leadership of the army were accused of not learning lessons or being inventive during WW1, it is extraordinary just how much the tactics and methods changed in the 3 years of the Second Boer war. The last is that Dr Jones seems to have missed just how quickly that change was started. The Lovat Scouts were raised in January of 1900 which confirms that before even Christmas the Army had acknowledged that the war was going to be lengthy, that tactics needed change and there was a requirement for s unit to take on the Boers at their own game. I would further suggest that the success of the 1st Battalion Lovat Scouts in the field and later the 2nd Battalion both in the field and their training of their fellow units were the biggest single influence on the British army, ever. Lastly to be picky, the emphasis on firepower is correct, but only with far greater emphasis on the word "accurate" As the Americas found in Vietnam firepower without accuracy is worth naught

[@asnieres32]

I think he covers accuracy rather well between minutes 38-40.

[@daispy101]

Reading Packenham's account of the second Boer War it would seem that the setbacks and defeats suffered by the forces under Sir Redvers Buller in the first part of the war were the learning curve and his adaptations were the cure. Pity he was scapegoated for the hand he was dealt or Britain might have been even better prepared for the events of 1914.

[@Aubury]

what a fine lecture ..

[@garyallen4486]

An excellent lecture.

[@haroldgodwinson832]

Excellent. Thanks.

[@johnstevenson1709]

What a great paper well worth watching

[@PMMagro]

Interesting!

[@johnd2058]

25:20 Kipling: much more of a skeptic generally thought. "Though I've beat you and I've flayed you / By the living God that made you / You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din" is hardly chauvenistic.

[@yukikaze3436]

a fine presentation

[@michealbohmer2871]

"If you saw someone in a skirt, you shot at him and nicked his country." "The prerequisite for any battle was that the enemy should, under no circumstances, carry guns." "Ten thousand Watutsi warriors armed to the teeth with kiwi fruit and dry guava halves." -- Cpt E. Blackadder.

[@ceciljohnrhodes4987]

Ahh, yes, but you’re forgetting about the villainous hun and their evil empire building.

[@hilarymckinnon5424]

Have you ever read the Flashman novels? For enlightenment on the British army through the 1800s it's a wonderful source and a delightful read. They are available on youtube audiobooks free.

[@johnknox4293]

thanks

[@paulturner4366]

A very interesting talk, thank you.

[@FlyderFive]

Excellent discussion, however do not forget the impact of the smokeless cartridge.

[@TomFynn]

"Schadenfreude" does not mean "shameful joy". "Schaden" means "damage" as in damage in any insurance claim. So "Schadenfreude" means joy at the misfortune (damage incurred) by others. There is shame involved, but not much...

[@mnpd3]

The Boer "military" is reminiscent of the Confederate army. Not soldiers, but non-uniform wearing civilians, and among the finest marksmen ever.

[@johnlouden4199]

the boer war.britain had to wake up and smell the coffee.

[@KB9813]

I was enjoying the lecture until he mentioned the mad minute at 40:52. The standard of aimed fire was 15 rounds a minute at 300yrd on a Second Class Figure which all fire should be in the inner ring for the highest score in practice No.22. But, that was about the fastest they would fire as ammunition allotment was fairly minimal actually if you look at the musketry regulations. What most in the Lee-Enfield community understand that the ture mad minute was a demonstration by musketry instructors to show that 15 rounds a minute was easy to attain in practice No.22, these are the truely insane 30 round a minute the Lee action is known for from skilled shooters (e.g. Cpt. Jesse Wallingford who was an Olympic shooter). What I see is a massive emphasis on snap shooting and shooting on fleeting targets compared to rapid fire, since it expended a massive amount of ammunition in a short amount of time and that costed money when you look at the musketry regulations on a whole. However, they still had a much higher emphasis on being able to do follow up shots rapidly compared to other army's and they had a rifle which is famed for the slickness of the action as well. Combined that emphasis on acquiring at Target and firing on it. It was a deadly combination of rifle iussed and men's training that lead to some of the British Army's success early in the war. And yes, I own and shoot 3 Lee-Enfields....

[@IverKnackerov]

I enjoyed all the lecture … one tiny detail couldn’t spoil 90 minutes of free, high quality educational entertainment. And I don’t own an SMLE

[@esterharris249]

Objection your honor:the groot trek had nothing to do with slave trade….the taxes the British laid on them and the attacks from the Xosas and unreasonable laws,was getting to much for them they took it centuries…and they wanted to be on their own….the rest is history,the Brittish also oppressed them from speaking Afrikaans their own launuage …my dad died only speaking zulu and Afrikaans…they refused to speak English

[@IverKnackerov]

So the boers were really into emancipation then…..? Really ? Nope didn’t think so …

[@Shack01]

@The western front association as geat grandson of Paul kruger and avid fan of yours, the Voortrekkers did not leave because we lost our slaves, Britain made it so that the compensation for the slaves had to be collected in Brittain which for Boers was a poor people

[@dermotrooney9584]

Great stuff and I'm only 5 mins in.

[@reinokarvinen8845]

during those times I would have supported the boers

[@patrickHayes-bq1ry]

worth noting that the incompetant cavalry officers who killed their own horses through lack of care in South Africa became the Generals whose callous incompetant leadership killed so many of their own men in WW1

[@japhfo]

That's the outdated opinion that this and many speakers on this platform have worked to correct, including in this lecture.

[@hilarymckinnon5424]

Something that I've never found more than a reference to occasionally was the role the British East India Co. had played as compared to the actual running of the country and it's policy. Just who was calling the shots? When they began and how far their power progressed and in what form does it exist today are questions that I have really never found much about. Especially in Victorian times they seem to be the real empire builders. Have you done a presentation on this or could one be in store in the future?

[@20chocsaday]

Was there a British South Africa Company? There used to be some Rhodesia records in this house.

[@gerry343]

7:25 Men in front with captured Lee-Enfields?

[@michellejean11]

What happened to all that experience in WW I which becomes very much massed infantry attacks against entrenched enemies?

[@IverKnackerov]

The professional army got overwhelmed and replaced with Kitcheners ”pals” regiments….. so tactics had to change and be relearnt

[@skibbideeskitch9894]

Nothing. WWI was very much sophisticated artillery and infantry tactics working to overcome entrenched enemies

[@alwynbosman6258]

If I may, as a afrikaner, saying sorry would be nice

[@ludovic2431]

The English have always learnd from the Dutch. Vise versa as well.

[@johnclarke9498]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@TomFynn]

"Fresh Attempts to Amuse the Queen. Wave of Justifiable Wars 7. War against Zulus. Cause: the Zulus. Zulus exterminated. Peace with Zulus." Ch.56, "1066 and all that", Sellar and Yeatman

[@ludovic2431]

Did the Boers learn something of the English?

[@ItisOKtobewhite]

Some homosexual stuff . But nothing ground breaking..

[@0ldb1ll]

'Kurds' ???

[@salomemalherbe677]

🙄 ... REALLY ?!

[@propellerhead428]

So, you Poms still haven't thanked us Boers for teaching you how to fight.

[@99IronDuke]

1.29.48 In any case it was the Spanish came up with the idea of 'concentration camps' in Cuba, not the British.

[@rosiehawtrey]

However it was first named by a female British journalist, historically accepted fact. So stop the British whitewashing crap. Or did you forget the part where the British Army deliberately gave the Amerindians Smallpox contaminated blankets*? I'd trust a Spaniard before I'd trust a squaddie and I'm English. *Spanish infection of South America was entirely accidental and without their knowledge.

[@dulls8475]

@@rosiehawtrey Just how bad are we?

[@johntaplin3126]

That's OK then!

[@rhysnichols8608]

I always find it both amusing and slightly sickening all the claims about German behaviour in Belgium during 1914, compared to the British behaviour in the boar war. Turns out when facing an enemy that is blending into the civilian population, atrocities happen, weather it was the 6000 or so belgians shot in response to partisan warfare or the 20,000 boar civilians starved to death in camps by the British, or indeed the civilians rounded up and burned alive in barns in east Prussia during the brief Russian occupation, the take away is that warfare against people who blend into the civilian populace is horrible, I just find it mental how even now the public consciousness places some special emphasis on the Belgian occupation in ww1 and overlooks other much worse aspects done by the British who shamelessly threw utter trash into the propaganda machine about the Germans