Boer commandoThe Boer Commandos or "Kommandos" were volunteer military units of guerrillamilitia organized by the Boer people of South Africa. From this came the term "commando" into the English language during the Second Boer War of 1899–1902. HistoryIn 1658, war erupted between the Dutch settlers at Cape Colony and the Khoi-khoi. In order to protect the settlement, all able bodied men were conscripted.
Special forcesSpecial forces or special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equipped forces using unconventional techniques and modes of employment".
Special Air ServiceSpecial forces unit of the British ArmyMilitary unitThe Special Air Service (SAS) is a special forces unit of the British Army. It was founded as a regiment in 1941 by David Stirling, and in 1950 it was reconstituted as a corps. The unit specialises in a number of roles including counter-terrorism, hostage rescue, direct action and special reconnaissance.
Royal MarinesMaritime land warfare force of the United KingdomMilitary unitHis Majesty's Royal Marines are the United Kingdom's special operations-capablenaval infantry force and constitute one of the of the Royal Navy. They provide a company-sized sub-unit to the Special Forces Support Group, personnel for landing craft crews, and personnel for the Royal Navy's military bands.
Dutch Cape ColonyToday part ofSouth AfricaThe Dutch Cape Colony (Dutch: Nederlandse Kaapkolonie), officially known as the Cape of Good Hope Waystation (Dutch: Tussenstation Kaap de Goede Hoop), was a colony of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and Batavian Republic in Southern Africa. Centered on the Cape of Good Hope, from where it derived its name, it was founded in 1652 by a VOC expedition under Jan van Riebeeck to serve as a re-supply and layover port for VOC vessels trading with Asia.
Guerrilla warfareGuerrilla warfare is a type of unconventional warfare in which small groups of irregular military, such as rebels, partisans, paramilitary personnel or armed civilians use ambushes, sabotage, terrorism, raids, petty warfare or hit-and-run tactics in a rebellion, in a violent conflict, in a war or in a civil war to fight against regular military, police or rival insurgent forces.
World War IIGlobal conflict from 1939 to 1945BelligerentsAlliesAxisCommanders and leadersMain Allied leaders: Joseph StalinFranklin D. RooseveltWinston ChurchillChiang Kai-shekMain Axis leaders: Adolf HitlerHirohitoBenito MussoliniCasualties and losses 60–75 million deaths (military and civilian) World War II, or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945), was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers.
First Boer WarThe First Boer War (Afrikaans: Eerste Vryheidsoorlog, lit. 'First Freedom War'), also known as the Transvaal War, was fought from 16 December 1880 until 23 March 1881 between the United Kingdom and Boers of the Transvaal (as the South African Republic was known while under British administration). The war resulted in a Boer victory and eventual independence of the South African Republic.
Second Boer War1899–1902 war in South AfricaBelligerents United Kingdom and EmpireCape ColonyNatal ColonyBasutolandBechuanalandRhodesia India CeylonCanadaNew ZealandAustraliaSouth African RepublicOrange Free StateCapeBoersForeign volunteersAustraliaAustria-HungaryBelgiumDenmarkFranceGermanyGreeceIrelandItalyNetherlandsPolandRussiaSweden-NorwayUnited StatesCommanders and leadersRobert Gascoyne-CecilJoseph ChamberlainAlfred MilnerFrederick RobertsWilliam RobertsonPaul MethuenRedvers BullerHerbert KitchenerRobert Baden-PowellHerbert PlumerAndrew Wauchope †Penn Symons (DOW)Edward Woodgate †John FrenchThomas KennyWilliam OtterSam SteeleFrançois LessardWalter TunbridgePaul KrugerKoos de la ReyLouis BothaSchalk BurgerPiet CronjéPiet Joubert †Jan SmutsLucas MeyerJohannes Kock †Adolf SchielHendrik Prinsloo †Joachim Fourie †Jacobus SnymanSarel Oosthuizen †Ferdinandus Potgieter †Jan KempCamillo RicchiardiMartinus SteynChristiaan de WetNaas Ferreira †Jan OlivierCornelius WesselsPetrus LiebenbergStrengthImperial:365,693Native African auxiliaries:100,000Colonial:82,742In total:448,435Boer Commandos:25,000 (Transvaal Boers)15,000 (Free State Boers)6–7,000 (Cape Boers)Native African auxiliaries:10,000Foreign volunteers:5,400+In total:87,365Casualties and losses 22,092 dead75,430 returned home sick or wounded934 missing2,006 capturedTotal: 101,290 6,189 dead24,000 captured (sent overseas)110 missing21,256 bitter-enders surrendered (at the end of the war)Total: 51,555Civilian casualties:46,370 fatalities26,370 Boer women and children died in concentration camps20,000+ Indigenous Africans of the 115,000 interned in separate concentration camps.The Second Boer War was a conflict fought between 1899 and 1902 between the British Empire and the Boer republics (the South African Republic and Orange Free State), triggered by the discovery of gold in the Transvaal, specifically the Witwatersrand gold fields, and the ensuing political dispute over the voting rights of British expatriates (Uitlanders).
Southern AfricaSouthern Africa is the southernmost region of Africa. No definition is agreed upon, but some groupings include the United Nations geoscheme, the intergovernmental Southern African Development Community, and the physical geography definition based on the physical characteristics of the land.
Light infantryLight infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line infantry. Historically, light infantry often fought as scouts, raiders, and skirmishers.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.