'Defender' - Sir Charles Warren and Spion Kop (1902)

Anglo-Boer War

Publisher's red cloth binding with gilt titles to spine.

xi + 244pp. Frontispiece + fold-out map at rear. Untrimmed page edges.

Binding tight. Contents clean.

'The biographical sketch states that Sir Charles Warren was born at Bangor on February 7, 1840, and joined the army in 1857. From 1867 to 1870 the War Office lent his services to the Palestine Exploration Fund, and his discoveries in the Holy Land were of the utmost importance. Later on he was sent to South Africa to survey the boundary line between the Orange Free State and Griqualand West; and he was afterwards appointed Special Commissioner of the latter colony, being made Acting Administrator to Griqualand West after taking part in the Gaika and Griqua wars. Leaving South Africa in 1880 he saw service in Egypt, but was again sent to the Cape in 1884, this time in command of the Bechuanaland expedition. On his return to England he was ordered to Suakim, soon after which he accepted the position of Chief Commissioner of Police (1886-1888). He filled other important posts in England, and on the outbreak of the South African War (1899) was appointed to the command of the 5th division, sailing for South Africa on November 25th. The volume gives a detailed account of Sir Charles Warren's connection with the Natal campaign, and the circumstances attending the occupation and evacuation of Spion Kop. The writer asserts that Sir Redvers Buller was responsible for the appointment of Lt.-Colonel Thorneycroft as officer in command of the hill. Sir Charles, "it is stated on very good authority," was forbidden to lead the attack, but was nevertheless censured by Lord Roberts for not visiting Spion Kop, while he was in fact occupying "a central position whence he could issue orders to right and left, and be in communication with the Commander-in-Chief." He was given no long-range guns to reply to those of the Boers, and Thorneycroft gives this prominently as a reason for retiring, which he did without consulting his superiors in rank, and against the advice of those around him. There are a number of extracts from despatches which represent the affair from the varied points of view of Lord Roberts, Sir Redvers Buller, Sir Charles Warren, Lt.-Col. Thorneycroft, and Major-General Talbot Coke.' - Mendelssohn Vol.II, page 586