Boer War: Concentration Camps & Burning Farmhouse

Boer War: Concentration Camps & Burning Farmhouse

Laidlaw # 0053 cataloguing at R3 800.00.

Laidlaw writes: -

"After the end of formal hostilities in 1900 with all of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State under British occupation, guerrilla warfare continued for two further years. The new Commander-in-Chief, Lord Kitchener, adopted a scorched-earth policy, burning farmhouses and crops, and imprisoning Boer women and children in concentration camps. This method of warfare was abhorred throughout Europe. Even in Britain, opponents of the war such as Emily Hobhouse were instrumental in making the British public aware of the brutalities inflicted by their country's military actions.

This medal was produced in Holland by W. Vort & Zonen of Haarlem. It was commissioned by the Mayor of Bennnebroek, P.N. van Doorninck, whose intention was to raise funds for the relief of the women and children in the concentration camps. The sentiment of the medal harks back to the time when the Dutch had to defend themselves against Spanish occupation during the 80 years War and makes the analogy between this period of history and the Boer War."