#mafeking

Siege of Mafeking: Turning Point of the Boer War

Baden-Powell was certainly resourceful, and he employed all kinds of tricks to confuse the Boers during the siege of Mafeking. He made, for example, a searchlight out of a biscuit tin and gave it to a runner who shone the light from various positions to give the impression there were lots of lights, and so a Boer night attack would be less likely. Another ruse was to put stakes amongst the defences and then give the illusion they held in place barbed wire by having the defenders regularly step over non-existent wire. A third ruse was to place wooden crates around the town’s perimeter, only some of which had dynamite in them. A few of these crates were exploded as a deterrent to the Boers and to convince the spies inside the town that all of them were dangerous.

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Siège de Mafeking: Le tournant de la guerre des Boers

Le siège de Mafeking (1899-1900) fut un épisode majeur de la guerre des Boers (également appelée guerre d'Afrique du Sud, 1899-1902). 8 000 Boers assiégèrent la ville tenue par les Britanniques, qui ne disposait que de moins de 2 000 hommes en armes pour la défendre. Sous le commandement de Robert Baden-Powell, les assiégés tinrent bon pendant 217 jours jusqu’à l’arrivée d’une colonne de secours. La levée du siège fut largement célébrée en Grande-Bretagne comme un tournant symbolique du conflit, que les Britanniques finirent par remporter. Baden-Powell, qui serait par la suite à l'origine du mouvement des scouts, fut acclamé en tant que héros national pour sa défense ingénieuse de Mafeking.

Le scoutisme et son rôle social

On connaît l’origine du mouvement « scout » : le général Sir Robert Baden Powell pendant la guerre du Transvaal, assiégé dans Mafeking put résister à des forces considérables grâce à l’aide que lui apportèrent les jeunes gens de la ville. Sir Robert fut frappé de l’intelligence et du zèle de ses cadets, et la guerre finie, rentré en Angleterre, il fonda à Liverpool, sauf erreur, les premières…

Enduring Friday the 13th, November 2020, Dover, Kent, England, UK

I survived this year’s second Friday the 13th by self-imposing a more severe "lock down" than the official Covid-19 one.

The next day, I felt more relieved than Kim Berley, Mafe King, and  Lady Smith did  way back in 1900 during the Second Boer War!

Only joking, of course ...but I did spend Friday indoors after I had finished my morning cycle ride ( 🙂 )

PRETORIA, May 18, 11:35 A.M.

It is officially announced that when the langers and forts around Mafeking had been severely bombarded the siege was abandoned by the Boers. A British force advancing from the south then took possession of the town.

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The Press Association states that Colonel Baden-Powell’s brother in London yesterday received a telegram from a Dutch friend in Pretoria announcing the relief of Mafeking.

(FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT)

SYDNEY, May 18

Great excitement and enthusiasm have been aroused in Sydney and throughout the colony over the reported relief of Mafeking.

(THROUGH REUTER’S AGENCY)

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND, May 18

In anticipation of the receipt at any moment of the official news of the relief of Mafeking, extensive preparations are being made throughout the colony to celebrate the event. 

TORONTO, May 18

The announcement of the relief of Mafeking has been received with intense enthusiasm, the popular excitement exceeding that produced by the safety of Ladysmith. The recent pessimist reports had aroused most gloomy forebodings regarding the fate of Colonel Baden-Powell and his gallant garrison, and the revulsion of feeling has tended to increase the rejoicing of the people.