If you only read two books on South African History this year, then make sure they are Dr Damian O’Connor’s two volumes of ‘A Short History of South Africa’ (Obviously, if you read three, then I suggest the third should be ‘Kruger’s War’… though I might be a little biased). The first of O’Connor’s books covers the period

De la Rey’s victory over Lord Methuen’s column at Tweebosch on the 7th of March 1902 is one of the more trumpeted battles of the Boer War. Modern day True Believers can hardly contain themselves as they squeal how the plucky old Boers vanquished the British, then – God-fearing Christian heroes that they were –