Bushveldt Carbineers
Encyclopedia
The Bushveldt Carbineers (BVC) were a short-lived, multinational mounted infantry
regiment
of the British Army
, raised in South Africa
during the Second Boer War
. The BVC is recognized as the world's first modern Special forces
for the use of counter insurgency
(COIN) tactics.
The 320-strong regiment was formed in February 1901 and commanded by an Australia
n, Colonel
R. W. Lenehan. It was based at Pietersburg, 180 miles north of Pretoria
, and saw action in the Spelonken region of the Northern Transvaal
during 1901-1902. About forty percent of the men in the BVC were Australians, and the regiment also included about forty surrendered Boer
s, known as "joiners", who had been recruited from the internment camps.
The unit is infamous as the one in which Australian Lieutenants Harry "Breaker" Morant
and Peter Handcock
were serving when they were court martial
ed. They were executed on 27 February 1902 by a firing squad of Cameron Highlanders
, having been convicted by the British army of murdering
a civilian and Boer prisoners of war
. Breaker Morant claimed that the BVC was given an order not to take prisoners. Lieutenant George Witton who had also been sentenced to death by the court-martial was released after serving 28 months.
, an account by a member of the BVC (Bushveldt Carbineers)
Mounted infantry
Mounted infantry were soldiers who rode horses instead of marching, but actually fought on foot . The original dragoons were essentially mounted infantry...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, raised in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
during the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
. The BVC is recognized as the world's first modern Special forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
for the use of counter insurgency
Counter insurgency
A counter-insurgency or counterinsurgency involves actions taken by the recognized government of a nation to contain or quell an insurgency taken up against it...
(COIN) tactics.
The 320-strong regiment was formed in February 1901 and commanded by an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n, Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
R. W. Lenehan. It was based at Pietersburg, 180 miles north of Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
, and saw action in the Spelonken region of the Northern Transvaal
South African Republic
The South African Republic , often informally known as the Transvaal Republic, was an independent Boer-ruled country in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century. Not to be confused with the present-day Republic of South Africa, it occupied the area later known as the South African...
during 1901-1902. About forty percent of the men in the BVC were Australians, and the regiment also included about forty surrendered Boer
Boer
Boer is the Dutch and Afrikaans word for farmer, which came to denote the descendants of the Dutch-speaking settlers of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 18th century, as well as those who left the Cape Colony during the 19th century to settle in the Orange Free State,...
s, known as "joiners", who had been recruited from the internment camps.
The unit is infamous as the one in which Australian Lieutenants Harry "Breaker" Morant
Breaker Morant
Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant was an Anglo-Australian drover, horseman, poet, soldier and convicted war criminal whose skill with horses earned him the nickname "The Breaker"...
and Peter Handcock
Peter Handcock
Peter Joseph Handcock was a Veterinary Lieutenant in the Bushveldt Carbineers in the Boer War in South Africa. Handcock and Harry "Breaker" Morant were court martialed and executed by firing squad on 27 February 1902 on murder charges for shooting Boer prisoners and a German missionary, Jacob...
were serving when they were court martial
Court martial of Breaker Morant
The court-martial of six officers of the Bushveldt Carbineers , an irregular British force in the Boer War, was based on charges asserting that, between July and September 1901, a Lieutenant Harry Morant had incited the co-accused, Lts Handcock, Witton and others under his command to murder some...
ed. They were executed on 27 February 1902 by a firing squad of Cameron Highlanders
Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders was an infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1793. In 1961 it was merged with the Seaforth Highlanders to form the Queen's Own Highlanders...
, having been convicted by the British army of murdering
War crime
War crimes are serious violations of the laws applicable in armed conflict giving rise to individual criminal responsibility...
a civilian and Boer prisoners of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
. Breaker Morant claimed that the BVC was given an order not to take prisoners. Lieutenant George Witton who had also been sentenced to death by the court-martial was released after serving 28 months.
See also
James ChristieJames Christie (New Zealand)
James Christie from New Zealand served in the Boer War in South Africa in the Bushveldt Carbineers . He was one of the 15 BVC members who signed a letter of complaint about the actions of BVC officers at Fort Edward in the Spelonken, which led to the court-martial of Breaker Morant, Peter Handcock...
, an account by a member of the BVC (Bushveldt Carbineers)