Another thing that appeared to me as foolish beyond words was the manner in which the principle of centralisation was run to death. The British Army in South Africa appeared to be mad on centralisation. There would be hundreds of capable officers spread over the country, men with brains and power to use them; but, however great the emergency, however trying the difficulty, these men were unable to move hand or foot in the matter until the subject had been placed before the central authorities in the ridiculous red-tape form. This, naturally, often resulted in disaster, almost always in loss of life, and frequently in the destruction of valuable property. Surely common-sense would dictate the wisdom of permitting a certain amount of decentral- isation, by which men of capacity might be allowed to act for themselves where immediate action was obviously necessary. — Menpes, p. 233
British commanders and other Notables
- Lord Roberts in his study at Headquarters Bloemfontein
- Lord Roberts (head and shoulders, three-quarters view)
- Lord Roberts — head study
- Lord Roberts watching the Battle of Osfontein
- Sir Alfred Milner Addressing an Audience
- General Hector Macdonald
- Duke of Marlborough
- The Late Admiral Maxse
- General Hector Macdonald
- Duke of Norfolk
- The Highlanders Marching through Blomfontein
- Lieut. General Pole-Carew
- Major-General Wavell
- Lieut.-Colonel Maxse
- Dr. [Arthur] Conan Doyle
- Lieutenant-General French
- Cecil J. Rhodes
- Cecil J. Rhodes at Groote Schuur
- Winston Churchill
- Winston Churchill as a War Correspondent
British and Imperial Forces
- Firing the 6-inch Guns
- Battle of Osfontein Advance of Mounted Infantry and Artillery, as seen from Kopje occupied by Headquarters Staff and Naval Guns
- C.I.V. Camp near Cape Tow
- Sir Alfred Milner and Staff Inspecting C.I.V
- C.I.V. on the March
- Lord Roberts and staff watching the Battle of Osfontein
- The Battle of Osfontein
- New Zealand Mounted Rifles acting as scouts
- Crossing the Modder
- Remounts
- Jacobsdal
The Boers
- Departure of Cronje from Klip Drift
- Cronje and Major Albrecht
- Boer Wagon left by Cronje in his Flight to Paardeberg
- Little Afrikander
- A Prisoner
- Boer Prisoners led into Klip Drift by C.I.V
- Boer Prisoners led on the way from Paarderberg
- Boer Prisoners
- Boer Children
The African Land- and Cityscapes
- Table Mountain — Early Morning
- Sea Point
- On the Way to Kimberley
- Ladysmith
- Evening
- Fish Market, Cape Town
- Blomfontein Cemetery — Evening
- Blomfontein — Evening
Miscellaneous
- Mule Wagons
- Kaffirs leaving Kimberley
- Lord Roberts’s Headquarters, Aasvogel
- Mafeking Day at Cape Town
- A Shelter at Ladysmith
- Transport on the Way to Ladysmith
- Red Cross Wagons
- Outspanning
References
Menpes, Mortime. War Impressions Being A Record in Colour. London: Adam & Charles Black, 1901. Internet Archive version of a copy in the University of California Library. Web. 13 December 2014.
Last modified 17 December 2014