On Commando

In Short

This memoir offers a firsthand look at the Second Boer War, from the opening sieges in Natal to the desperate, final stages of guerilla warfare. The author, a Transvaal Afrikaner, captures the transformation of a proud, organized resistance into a ragged, mobile struggle for survival. It is a vital historical document, valued for its lack of literary artifice and its sincere reflection of the Afrikaner spirit during a period of immense national trauma. Its enduring power lies in its quiet, observant portrayal of life in the veld under the shadow of inevitable defeat.

The Story

The narrative begins with the author’s early experiences as a burgher in the Transvaal commando. He vividly recalls the march toward Ladysmith, marked by torrential rain, hunger, and the initial, over-cautious military tactics that frustrated the Boer forces. He describes the siege of Ladysmith with a mix of technical observation—noting the presence of an observation balloon that felt like a "crocodile-eye" fixed upon him—and personal reflection on the mounting casualties and the growing suspicion of treachery within their own ranks.

As the tide turns against the Boer Republics, the narrative shifts from set-piece battles to a life of constant, restless movement. The author, frequently plagued by a recurring knee injury, moves between home, office, and the front, eventually joining his brother in a more permanent state of "commando life." He recounts significant skirmishes, such as the battle at Selikatsnek, with a focus on the tactical limitations of the terrain and the sudden, chaotic nature of victory and loss. As the conflict drags on, the focus narrows to the struggle for basic existence: the search for food, the difficulty of maintaining horses, and the psychological toll of watching the landscape be systematically dismantled by British scorched-earth tactics.

The latter portion of the book centers on the mobile life of the guerilla units in the Magalies Mountains and the Boschveld. The author travels alongside prominent figures like President Steyn, describing their rapid, clandestine movements to avoid capture. He records the mundane and the surreal: a quiet night of eel-fishing interrupted by a comrade falling into a crocodile-pool, the haunting sight of women and children fleeing their burning farms, and the pervasive, demoralizing atmosphere of their daily retreats.

The story draws to a sobering close with the author’s capture. He describes the final weeks of maneuvering, the realization that hope for intervention from the Cape Colony is fading, and the eventual surrender of his small band. The concluding chapters detail his transition from a free, roving fighter to a prisoner of war, ending with his transport to India. He reflects on the indignity of confinement, the longing for home, and the collective sorrow of a people witnessing the erasure of their independence. It is a story not of grand military triumph, but of the gradual wearing down of a spirit, told with a stark, observant honesty that refuses to look away from the tragedy of the conflict.

How It Unfolds

The mobilization begins The narrative opens with the author’s deployment to the Natal border, documenting the logistical failures and the pervasive hunger that characterized the initial campaigns. He highlights the disconnect between the Boers' traditional skirmishing tactics and the requirements of a modern war against a global power.

The siege and the stalemate The author provides a ground-level view of the siege of Ladysmith, shifting between the boredom of camp life and the sudden violence of artillery fire. He touches upon the growing paranoia regarding spies and the deep, abiding sense of resentment caused by British military dominance.

The transition to guerilla warfare Following the relief of Ladysmith, the focus shifts to the reality of retreat and the adaptation to highly mobile, smaller units. The author depicts the strategic importance of the Magalies Mountains as a natural fortress for the commandos.

Life in the Boschveld The narrative follows the desperate, rapid movements of President Steyn’s entourage through the wilderness. Here, the story captures the contrast between the majesty of the African landscape and the grim, encroaching reality of the war.

The final surrender The closing sections detail the systematic destruction of the Boer farms and the author’s eventual capture. The book ends with a poignant account of his confinement, shifting from the wide-open spaces of the veld to the cramped, regimented environment of a prisoner-of-war camp in India.

The People

Dietlof Van Warmelo acts as our primary lens, an observant and pragmatic participant who documents the war with a mixture of stoicism and deep, suppressed heartache. He is accompanied by his brother, whose presence provides a human anchor amid the chaos. President Steyn emerges as a figure of authority and symbolic hope, a leader whose resilience inspires the burghers even as the military situation becomes untenable. General Beyers is portrayed as a capable and respected commander, though the author is not shy about noting his failures and the shifting morale of his men. The "khakies"—the British soldiers—remain largely distant, appearing as either a terrifying, mechanical force or, at times, as fellow men caught in the same brutal machinery. Finally, the unnamed women and children, often seen in the background of a camp or fleeing a burning farm, represent the true, silent casualties of the war, their suffering haunting the author’s conscience more deeply than the loss of any battlefield position.

In Its Own Voice

"One must have suffered hunger to know what it means."

The author reflects on the physical toll of the campaign when describing the meager, rain-soaked rations his unit was forced to survive on in the early days.

"As a sailor longs for the sea, so we longed for a meeting with the khakies when we left for the Magalies Mountains in the beginning of December."

This observation captures the restless, combative spirit of the burghers even as their military position became increasingly desperate.

What It's Really About

At its core, this book is an exploration of the psychological and physical erosion caused by an asymmetrical war. It examines the tension between the Boer ideal of individual liberty—the freedom of the veld—and the harsh, crushing reality of colonial military superiority. The author questions the sustainability of a national identity when its foundations, the farms and homes, are systematically incinerated. It is also a study of the shift in perspective from belief in an eventual, divinely sanctioned victory to the painful acceptance of a long, ruinous decline. The book serves as a testament to the endurance of the human spirit when confronted with the disintegration of the familiar world.

Why Read It Today

Readers interested in the history of South Africa or the realities of unconventional warfare will find this memoir invaluable. It captures the specific, dusty, and often terrifying atmosphere of the veld in a way that academic histories cannot. The prose is clean and direct, moving with a steady, unforced pace that mirrors the author’s own experience of life on the move.

However, a modern reader must be prepared for the author’s worldview. The text reflects the period’s attitudes, including those regarding the indigenous population and the intense, singular nationalism of the Afrikaners. These perspectives are not presented as arguments but as the lived reality of the narrator. Furthermore, the narrative is deeply immersed in the specific geography and military jargon of the time, which can occasionally demand patience. Yet, the reward is an intimate connection to a forgotten era. What stays with you is not the strategy of the battles, but the smaller, human details: the sound of cattle in the dark, the sight of a red-stained stream, and the quiet, persistent question of the prisoners, "Guard, is there any news this morning?" It is a somber, deeply felt portrait of a culture at its breaking point, told without a trace of self-pity.