Expansion Era impression - South African Constabulary

[RattlesnakeJack]

Howdy Folks ....

Thought I'd post a bit about the persona I have fixed upon for my "Expansion Era" impression .... namely, a Trooper of the South African Constabulary (first established in late 1900) ..... in particular during the period from the formal end of the Second Anglo-Boer War, on May 31 1902, until the force was disbanded in1908.

I had been been considering it for my E.E. impression for quite some time, for a number of reasons:

-  the SAC fits the Expansion Era time-frame perfectly, and itself was quintessentially "Expansionist" in nature from a British Empire perspective, being the very sizable para-military force established to control the territory of the erstwhile Boer Republics (Transvaal and Orange Free State) conquered during the Boer War.

-  the SAC had a very strong Canadian element.  Indeed, in setting up the SAC, MajGen Robert Baden-Powell largely modeled it on the NWMP and based its uniform on that worn by Canadian Mounted Infantry in South Africa, including the peaked stetson hat.  About 1,250 Canadians were enrolled in the SAC during its brief existence.

Canadian Mounted Infantry in South Africa -


Drawings by Baden-Powell in his original "Scouting For Boys", showing how he in turn based the Boy Scout uniform on that of the South African Constabulary -
 
-  I am already in the process of putting together a Boer War Canadian Mounted Rifles field uniform, which will also serve nicely for an SAC impression, with but a few changes in badging and weaponry.

-  the final push for my decision came with the successful purchase of an original 1902-1908 South African Constabulary hat badge on eBay this weekend -


(I can't help but wonder how favorably the Boers viewed the symbolism of the British Lion trampling a Snake?    )

[Charles Isaac]

That emblem is an incredible find!

Really like those long Lees the mounted rifleman are carrying.

[RattlesnakeJack]

Howdy, Charles!

Yes, I was certainly happy to snag the badge!

By the way, will you be attending the Grand Muster in November?

Located the Final Report by the Inspector General of the SAC in 1908.  Seems the force started out with Long Lees (of course) but later were armed with SMLEs, so I have two options .... though I suppose I'll use my Magazine Lee-Enfield Lee primarily for my CMR impression ......

   

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[Grigori_Storri]

Wow I am impressed with this. I can not wait to see the completed uniform in the field. But I will not make it to the Grand Muster myself still got to work. Can not wait until I can fully retire from government service in three to eight years.

[Niederlander]

Nice rifles, Jack!  I especially like the Long Lee.  The SAC uniform seems to have a lot of similarities to the Australian Light Horse.  Can't wait to see your impression!

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

And here's a photo of our Jack; Image #3   The "Strathcona boot" worn by the Mounties since this time, is at image #11.

http://www.google.ca/images?hl=en&q=Boer+War+Uniforms&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=WAxfTPvDKpKksQOi4rSpCw&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CDcQsAQwAw&biw=1024&bih=588

From the Canadian War Museum;

http://www.warmuseum.ca/cwm/exhibitions/boer/boerwarhistory_e.shtml

British Army in the Boer War;

http://www.clash-of-steel.org/gallery/pages/view_entry.php?image_number=201

Here is the picture gallery from this site;  (scroll down for images of the Boer fighters.)

http://www.clash-of-steel.org/gallery/sub_index.php?index=boer

[RattlesnakeJack]

.....  The SAC uniform seems to have a lot of similarities to the Australian Light Horse.  ......

Ned .... admittedly, it is stretching things a mite to say that Baden-Powell based the SAC uniform on that of the Canadian Mounted Rifles, since most Empire mounted troops during the Boer War wore much the same, with the most noticeable distinction being their headgear.  But B-P did have a decided preference for the peaked stetson worn by the Canadians, both for his own personal use during the war and as the hat for the South African Constabulary ......

This tobacco card image dates to early 1900, right after he became a hero of the Empire for successfully withstanding the Boer siege of Mafeking for 217 days ..... prior to his promotion to Lieutenant-General and appointment to establish the South African Constabulary later that year -


Sir Charles ..... Strathcona boots are certainly a great looking bit of kit, but are a genuine pain in the a** to put on, not to mention being prohibitively expensive!  The knee-high puttees which were the most common form of British/Empire lower-leg protection during the Boer war, are also decidedly less than convenient.  As I believe I mentioned in my earlier posting about my developing Canadian Mounted Rifles impression, I am awaiting a pair of leather "Stowasser gaiters" for use both with that uniform and my SAC impression.  These leggings, which were very popular during the Boer War (and later) with British Empire officers, as well as with Other Ranks in mounted units, are worn with the standard ankle boots and must be a lot more convenient to get on and off .... and look pretty good, too -
 

About a week or so ago I placed an order with Lawrance Ordnance in Australia for a pair of these gaiters .... but am told they cannot ship them until the manager returns from a trip out of the country, on August 17th, so they can get into the warehouse to get my size!
         

['Monterrey' Jack Brass]

Grant – Another excellent effort you’re leading with that impression. As always you never take ½ measures and I know you’ll do a superb job with it. You’re a credit to living history!

Brass

p.s. That long Lee is a beauty

[Dead Dog Jack]

Located the Final Report by the Inspector General of the SAC in 1908.  Seems the force started out with Long Lees (of course) but later were armed with SMLEs, so I have two options .... though I suppose I'll use my Magazine Lee-Enfield Lee primarily for my CMR impression ......

Hey Grant,

Good stuff. I have a question about the Inspector General's report. Did it specify which SMLE they issued and at what dates?   I'm very curious to know if it was the Mk I* model or not. The Mk III was quite new then....wonder if the system deployed it down there that quick!?

And yes, your MLE is quite nice!

CS

[theirishguard]

  Jack, A very nice presentation and facts about the Boer War and your uniform. Lots of good research and effort on your part.

        My company name and uniforms also came out from the Boer War. The Irish Guard Regiment was formed by order of HM Queen Victoria to commemorate the service and bravery of the Irish in the Boer War. please go to http://www.irishguardfirearmsltd.com  and click on about us.  Tom

[RattlesnakeJack]

..... Did it specify which SMLE they issued and at what dates? .....

Unfortunately, no .....  It just mentions "Rifle .303" SMLE" in Appendix 6 ("STATEMENT SHOWING THE SCALE OF EQUIPMENT, FOR MOUNTED MEN IN 1901 & 1907, AND FOR DISMOUNTED MAN IN 1907") and Appendix 7 ("COMPARATIVE COST OF EQUIPMENT FOR A MOUNTED MAN IN 1901 AND 1906").  

Mind you, it would certainly seem that these entries must in fact  constitute a generalization for "Rifle" (presumably based on the last version on issue) since it certainly wouldn't have been possible for the SMLE to have been issued in 1901!

At any rate, the review (or at least a summary of it, or extracts from it) is located on the Anglo Boer War website, here:  http://www.angloboerwar.com/units/sac.htm

It will be noted from this review that, although the creation of the SAC (with an initial strength of 6,000, all ranks) was formally authorized in October 1900, it did not really come into being until 1901.  Set up in anticipation of an earlier end to the hostilities, when peace was delayed by the ongoing activities of the Boer "Bitter Enders" the strength of the force was increased to 10,000 despite the impossibility of the force operating in its intended "police" capacity, with it being employed in an entirely military role until the final cessation of hostilities at the end of May 1902.  By that time it had suffered 581 casualties, consisting of 213 wounded and 368 fatalities (94 killed in action or died from wounds, and a staggering 274 from sickness - which was entirely in keeping with the very high loss of life to disease among the Empire forces in South Africa, generally.) When the war ended, the strength of the SAC was again reduced to 6,000.

[Mogorilla]

Hey Rattlesnake Jack,
Cool idea, Colonial Africa is an interesting time.  Have you ever seen Heat of the Sun (I think it was a BBC offering here on American Public Broadcasting.)   Takes place during the "out of Africa" time frame.   It is available on Netflix.  Here is the IMDB link

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0138966/

[Hangtown Frye]

Grant;

Interestingly enough, I've been doing a fair amount of research on the Boer War of late myself.  I just read "Commando" by Deneys Reitz, (http://www.ourcivilisation.com/smartboard/shop/reitzd/commando/index.htm) an excellent and well-written account of the war from the Boer perspective by a lad who took part in just about all of the major actions.  It definitely gives one sympathy for the Boers, and makes you wonder what on earth the English were actually trying to achieve there, in the name of "Progress".  Anyway, it's a fascinating war, with a lot of lessons still to be learned from it. 

One of the cool things about it (from our perspective that is) is that to do a Boer impression, a good late-19th Century civilian suit and a 7mm Mauser is about all you need to do it well!  That, or a Long Lee and bandolier for a later war impression.  Either way, it's a nifty look, and those tough old Boers taught the British Army some hard-earned lessons that would come in very handy a decade-and-a-half later.

Cheers!

Gordon

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Here is a group of Boer officers, from the clash of steel site.  Navigate for more pictures;

http://www.clash-of-steel.org/gallery/pages/view_entry.php?image_number=204

I was recently in our local militaria store .  Saw some Strathcona/RCMP boots, and other stuff.  I tried on a 1910 field artillery officers tunic, but just a bit small darn it!

COMMAND POST MILITARIA & ANTIQUES
1306 Government St
Victoria BC V8W 1Y8    Ph; 250 383 4421  Fax;250 383 8821  email;  commandpost@shaw.ca

[RattlesnakeJack]

....  Have you ever seen Heat of the Sun ......   Takes place during the "out of Africa" time frame. .....

Haven't seen it, but it does look very interesting!   It appears to be set in the 1930's, whereas "Out of Africa" was mainly pre-WWW and WWI, I believe.

[Mogorilla]

I was off in my timing, swore it was before the great war, but it explains some of the cars and things I thought were out of time.   I enjoy a good mystery and being a consumate anglophile, it was great.

[RattlesnakeJack]

......    It definitely gives one sympathy for the Boers, and makes you wonder what on earth the English were actually trying to achieve there, in the name of "Progress"......

No question about it - despite any reasons and excuses put forward then or since, it was essentially one of the last gasps of outright British Imperialism, pure and simple! 

And I think any rational and educated citizen of virtually any country in the erstwhile British Empire would, if being intellectually honest, have no choice but to acknowledge that nowadays!  Isn't it odd that no such annexational interventions or "liberations" conducted by "Great Powers" ever seem to take place in areas totally lacking known resources of value !  But of course, the presence of very rich gold and diamond mines (.... or, in modern terms, massive petroleum deposits ....) in a particular region have no bearing whatsoever on the taking of such military action.

[RattlesnakeJack]

....  I was recently in our local militaria store .  Saw some Strathcona/RCMP boots, and other stuff. .......

I bought a pair of cut-down Strathcona (or similar) boots for only about $20 in that very same store several years ago!  The tops had been shortened quite a bit, but there was still at least eleven or twelve inches or so of lacing to be done, and just like full-length Strathcona boots, they had to be about half unlaced to get them on or off.  I have worn them on occasion, but the instep was a bit too tight on my right foot (though the left fit perfectly) and there was still too much lacing to be done for convenience.  Matter of fact I took them to a local shoemaker just a couple of weeks ago and had him stretch the instep on the right boot and also cut back the tops even lower .... so they are now like regular ankle boots, which I'll wear with the Stowasser leggings for my CMR and SAC impressions .....

On the topic of Strathcona boots - my annoying friend Roger (the 'batman" who has accompanied me to Musters) showed up here just a few evenings ago to gloat over a purchase he had just made that day at the local Value Village - a pair of virtually new Strathcona boots he got for a mere $100.00!  (And I do mean virtually new .... they have almost no scuffing on the soles, and absolutely none anywhere on the uppers, so they cannot have been worn more than two or three times!)  I was contemplating murdering him then and there to get my hands on the boots, but asked him if he'd let me try them on first.  Luckily for him, even though they are technically the right size for me, try as I might I could not get either of my my high-arched feet to go fully into them.

Oh well ......   

[Pitspitr]

I was contemplating murdering him then and there to get my hands on the boots, but asked him if he'd let me try them on first. 

If you had, do you know any good barristers who could have gotten you off? 

[Charles Isaac]

Howdy, Charles! ..............................By the way, will you be attending the Grand Muster in November?

Hello Rattlesnake-I hope to, but don't know for sure as of right now.

I have found far too many of those long Lees sporterized and I think yours is one of the nicest I have ever seen.