Bethulie Concentration Camp Monument

General information

The Anglo Boer War Museum, or better known these days as the War Museum of the Boer Republics, is a Museum that commemorates the bravery of the Boers (men, woman, children and the elderly), as well as some of the native tribes that had to participate, against the overwhelming forces of the British Army from 1899 to 1902.

Currently this museum is the only one in the world that has the Boer War as its core theme.

My visit to the War Museum, the interior and exterior areas, were more than worth it. As a matter of fact, I have not seen a museum of this standard and beauty anywhere else, and I have seen many museums from around the world. The personnel were excellent, very friendly and helpful; the grounds and monument areas were kept in top condition.

The interior of the museum is absolutely stunning, well organized with valuable information at every point, making the experience that much more authentic.

One of the greatest features for me within the museum, was the beautiful wooden table on the first floor. This table was used during the Bloemfontein Conference (31 May 1899) when President M.T Steyn, (President of the Orange Free State Republic), tried to negotiate peace terms with Sir Alfred Milner, (British High Commissioner for South Africa and Governor of the Cape Colony), in order to avoid war. (In further attendance to this conference was also President Paul Kruger who was the President of the Transvaal Republic (South African Republic.)

But why was the British intend on going to war with a small state republic such as the Orange Free State, where they had no claim at all?

Gold, diamonds and wealth of course! (Ever wondered where the diamonds and jewels in Queen Elizabeth's crown came from?)

Such a shame that humanity has always waged war because of money.

"This war will be over in a week," the English proudly said when negotiations for peace at the Bloemfontein Conference (1899) proved unsuccessful. Their bravado didn't last long though. Compared to the Boers that were fighting so that they, their children and wives may live, the British soldiers were in a foreign country fighting for gold. Big difference.

Against all odds, the commando's of the Boers, only an estimate of 40 000 strong (but potentially 54 000), were out maneuvering the British forces for most of the first year (1899), forcing the British to send the largest army they have ever sent overseas, in the coming year, 180 000 strong. (Most probably to avoid embarrassment for losing against a much smaller force.)

At the peak of hostility the British forces grew to 450 000.

54 000 Boers against 450 000 British? The British probably destroyed them, one would think. Funnily enough, no.

We have a saying in Africa, "Africa ain't for sissies."

The British made various mistakes during the war and even with their large reinforcements where they struggling to win. Disease took most lives among them, causing 13,250 deaths compared to the 7,792 soldiers lost in battle. The Boers were hard to track down in the harsh African landscape, their knowledge and skills of their land, the veldt, survival instincts, toughness and their patriotic viewpoints, "if we die, we lose everything," proving superior.

The British realized soon enough that they were not going to beat the Boers in the open veldt, "this war could last for years," many said. Therefore did they employ what is today know as the "Scorched Earth Policy," as well as concentration camps. By burning down farms, crops, killing livestock and taking woman, children and the elderly prisoner, it became a war of disaster and filth by the British.

A year later, 26 370 Boer woman, children and elders died in concentration camps, mostly due to malnutrition, diseases and unhygienic circumstance enforced by the British Empire. Furthermore did more than 20,000 black people die in concentration camps as well.

WAR CASUALTIES
British soldiers: 7,792 (killed); 13,250 (deaths from disease.)

Boers: 4,000 - 6,000.

Women and children in Concentration Camps: 26,370.

Black people in Concentration Camps: 20,000+
(Official British figure: 14,154)
(Source: http://www.icon.co.za/%7Edup42/abw.htm)
(In total, The Anglo Boer War cost around 75,000 lives)

This was a very bitter war for the Boers, especially since they had the upper hand against the English most of the way until the British started playing dirty, implementing concentration camps (imprisoning woman, children and the elderly), and applying their 'scorched earth policy' by burning down all the farm houses and live stocks so that the Boers had nowhere to go for provisions. Various other techniques were furthermore used to demoralize the Boers. Rebel prisoners were often executed, other prisoners sent overseas to prisoner islands and woman and children basically starved to death in concentration camps.

That is most probably why till this day, the English are not much liked in South Africa by the elders who remember what was done to them and their grand parents and great grand parents.