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Major Redvers Buller VC
SIR BCP


Joined: 04 Mar 2010
Posts: 22
Location: Chudleigh. Devon
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I have read with great admiration of the exploits of Redvers Buller during the AZW and his subsequent campaigns prior to the 2nd Boer War. It appears that his reputation went downhill from the 2nd Boer War, at least with historians.

Research indicates that his soldiers, the public and in particular the Devon people loved the man despite the criticism towards the end of his career.

Donald Morris says of Buller in TWOTS "He made a superb major, a mediocre colonel, and an abysmally poor general"
If true, that is quite a spectrum of performance levels !
Was it just a case of the "Peter Principle" i.e. Buller had risen to the level of his own incompetence ?
Or were there other forces at play like political, military & personality feuds that did for Buller's reputation ?
I would be interested to hear any views.
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Peter Ewart


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 1797
Location: Near Canterbury, Kent, England.
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Brian

Good question. Morris's phrase would seem to be quite accurate and the short answer would appear to be that the Peter Principle did, indeed, apply in his case, as well as a well grounded supposition that he had rather "gone to seed" behind a desk for a decade and a half.

On a previous thread devoted to Buller' apparent shortcomings, these points were discussed, as well as a debate on whether recently published accusations of his alcoholism from the 1880s onwards had been based on reliable source material. In this thread I included some evidence designed to show how popular he remained with the public, despite defeat, dismissal and disgrace.

If I try to insert the link here I'll probably mess it up, but you'll find it if you use the search facility on this forum, looking under "Redvers Buller" for a thread begun on 25 Jan 2008 by PRS. That's not to say you won't get a good response to this thread as well, of course.

Peter
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SIR BCP


Joined: 04 Mar 2010
Posts: 22
Location: Chudleigh. Devon
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Peter
Thanks for your comments.
I found the previous thread you referred to on Redvers Buller, - it makes interesting reading.
I will try and get hold of the Pen & Sword book "Buller - A Scapegoat ?" that is mentioned.
Also will visit the pub in Crediton bearing his name (I have been to the Buller Arms in Chagford, again in his home county of Devon)
There is of course the magnificent memorial to him inside Holy Cross Church, Crediton that I have seen. This has been described as "the most 'in your face' memorial in the UK.
I don't think there is public access to his family home at Downes nr Crediton ?

The are lots of good photographs and links to Buller if you are interested on the excellent website www.exetermemories.co.uk
Thanks again
Brian
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Redvers Buller
SIR BCP


Joined: 04 Mar 2010
Posts: 22
Location: Chudleigh. Devon
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Found 3 books on Buller on www.Amazon.uk
1 Buller-A Scapegoat by Geoffrey Powell �22.95
2. Life of General the Rt.Hon Sir Redvers Buller by Charles Melville �18.99
3. Sir Redvers Buller - The story of his life and campaigns by Walter Jerrold

Went off to Crediton & Exeter on a "Buller Day" today.

Found the "General Sir Redvers Buller" pub in the High Street in Crediton. It is now a Wetherspoon's establishment.
It had a few photographs of Buller around the walls but not that many considering.
Enquiries of the bar staff failed to elicit any information about the history of the pub or indeed anyone with any knowledge of the local connection, let alone RB's drinking habits !

Then down the High Street to the Holy Cross Parish Church, where I located the Buller family Memorial plot in the far right corner of the Churchyard.
Redvers Buller's plaque features a VC carved in the stonework, above the name. (I had previously visited the magnificent Memorial inside the Church, which takes up almost the entire width of the Church)

Drove into the grounds of Downes House - the Buller ancestral home, just outside Crediton.
Unfortunately the limited opening times are Mondays & Tuesdays from 5th April to 7th July. Tours at 2.15 & 3.30pm

Then into Exeter for a photo or two of the statue of Redvers on his horse. Not that easy to photograph as some nut had placed a traffic cone on the rump of the horse !

Brian
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Major Redvers Buller VC
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