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HCMDB - Officers exposed to fire
Peter Ewart


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

Re-reading your account on p207 of the reluctance of British officers to take cover or even to duck when under fire and in view of their men, I was reminded that this trait was not wholly brought to an end by the Boer, as you suggest.

In fact, despite his capture at Lindley in the 2nd ABW, Lord Longford seems not to have compromised his beliefs one bit in this direction. Nearly 20 years ago I visited the then Lord Longford - the one familiar to all of us and who died in recent years - who agreed to discuss his father's death at Gallipoli with me. He told me that he recalled his father saying to him when he was only 9 years old: "I'd give ten years of my life to take part in a charge." (This from a man who had experienced the shambles of capture with the Imperial Yeomany in S Africa!).

From memory I think Longford was with the 2nd South Midland Mounted Div (Bde? - but I'm not looking it up now) - but leading the Dorset Yeomanry anyway, and was in the act of leading his staff as they advanced, entirely in the open, from the saltpan up the slope towards Scimitar Hill, following the second landings which took place in August. As the Turks let go with everything they had, Longford had to admonish one of his staff: "Don't duck, it doesn't look good in front of the men." In fact, in Longford's own biography he also mentions this incident when describing his father's death in that (dismounted!) charge: "Colonel Cripps recalls my father saying to him 'What are you ducking for Fred? The men don't like it. And it doesn't do any good.' "

I think this sums up to a tee your para straddling pp 207/208.

Peter
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Mike Snook


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 130
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Peter,

You are so right. I was out training in Kenya a few years back and I remember taking a young lieutenant to one side (after a field firing package of several days) and saying to him words to the effect of:

'You are a really first class platoon commander - your boys respect you -your sections manoeuvre beautifully under your control - and you are quite excellent company in the mess into the bargain - so it saddens me to think that you will be killed in the first three minutes of a real firefight. Watch my lips and mark my words well. You are not bullet-proof. You must not in your anxiety to do your job well, expose yourself so. It is your Achilles heel. It is a platoon commander's job to die well, but at least try and make it to the second day of the war!

I don't know if he paid any heed to my advice, but he did get a Queen's Commendation for Bravery the following year!

I guess it was ever thus. Boers or no Boers.

Regards as ever

Mike
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Rich
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Fellows,

You know in reading the previous I'd be curious to know if Zulu battle plans took into account the purposeful "taking out" of British officers. I'm sure they probably could have been identified or would that be difficult under the tremendous din and fire of battle. In Zulu parlance, it would certainly seem "if you lop off the head there goes the body". And on another historical point. In a way, I don't there was much difference, except intervening time, between officers fighting in ancient battles and "leading from the front" as they say and in the Zulu War. Both officer corps there were right out in the open and available for pickin's. What amazes me is how fellows like Alexander and Caesar can be right up in the the thick'o' things and never get hit by an arrow or mortally stabbed by a spear or sword in all the battles they fought. They sure were some lucky lucky blokes as you guys say! It boggles my mind that they weren't 6 ft under right away under those blistering circumstances.
Mike Snook


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 130
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Rich

That's easy. Alexander and Caesar were gods weren't they!

Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year amigo (as I believe they say out there in the New World!)

Regards as ever

Mike
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Rich
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Hey Mike that's an answer for the ages! How in Mars' name did I miss that?!
And a pint to you in this festive season! Thanks for your hard work in presenting AZW history and making it come alive for all of us. Looking forward to your next book from the RRW museum.
HCMDB - Officers exposed to fire
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