Boerejode : Jews in the Boer Armed Forces 1899 - 1902 by David Saks
Scarce.
Boerejode : Jews in the Boer Armed Forces 1899 - 1902 by David Saks
Softcover, ISBN 9780620461122
Publisher: David Saks, 2010
Used - Good. This book is in good condition. The wraps have some signs of wear on the edges and corners but inside the book the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged.
As is well-known, the armed forces of the two Boer Republics in the South African War were assisted by a host of foreign volunteers from all over Europe. An estimated 2 120 of these volunteers, out of sympathy for the Boer cause or simply in search of an adventure, eventually fought for the republics. Due to language barriers and ethnic solidarity, it was natural that the new arrivals should be grouped together, hence the existence for long periods of the conflict of small, colourful foreign units within the Boer Army. The foreigners offered more than mere curiosity value. Some units distinguished themselves in action, often suffering heavy casualties in the process. One thinks of the performances of the Dutch and German detachments at Elandslaagte, for example, or the sacrifices of the Scandinavian contingent at Magersfontein. There was an Italian corps, which fought at Colenso and, in the subsequent defence of the Tugela Heights, an Irish corps and a plethora of other nation- alities, including Russians, Frenchmen, Austrians and Americans. Nor did these adventurers make up the only non-Afrikaner element of the Boer forces. As Professor J Mohlamme of the Vista University has shown, many black South Africans also fought for the republics. Even less well-known is the fact that some 300 Jews actively served on the Boer side during the war.
There was never a question of forming a 'Jewish Brigade'. Rather, Jewish volunteers were scattered throughout the Republican armies, making it difficult to establish nowadays who they were and how many. Later research has verified the names of some 200 of these 'Boerejode', although the list remains incomplete. By way of comparison, just under 2 800 fought for the Imperial cause, most of them regulars or volunteers who came out from England.
This their story...
