A Russian on Commando: The Boer War Experiences of Yevgeny Avgustus

Softcover, 270 pages.

Very good condition. Neat, clean, tightly bound.

The book A Russian on commando: The Boer War experience of Yevgeny Avgustus is a war memoir that details the experiences of Yevgeny Avgustus as a foreign (uitlander) volunteer in the South African War of 1899 to 1902. It is a fascinating read, which provides a behind-the-scenes look at the events that took place during this war. The book was edited by Boris Gorelik who engages the reader vividly in what Avgustus had recorded in his memoir. Since Avgustus was from Russia, the memoir was originally written in Russian and was translated into English by Lucas Venter. The book is well organised, and the chapters are arranged according to their relevance. The titles of the respective chapters are clear in terms of the details presented in each chapter. Gorelik starts by acknowledging one of the most debated topics regarding the involvement of other nationals in the South African War. The war was previously known as the Second Anglo-Boer War but later became known as the South African War, taking into account that people other than South Africans were involved in this war as well. It is commonly known that other nations assisted either the British or the Boers in the war, but we seldom find information that delves deeper into these 'other' or uitlander volunteers in the war. To bridge a part of this gap, the book highlights the experiences of these 'other' foreign nationals who came to fight for a foreign cause in a war that was not theirs.