Dr. Hamish Ross has produced another special forces centric history of the British Empire worth reading. The Boer War of the late 19th and early 20th centuries is a fascinating subject for historians as well as social scientists and this adds a new needed perspective of the events.

An excellent, well-researched history of Baden-Powell and his remarkable and successful establishment of the South African Constabulary. Lauded by many as the hero of the siege of Mafeking during the Boer War, Baden-Powell’s exploits became well known in Britain and South Africa. He was felt to be the most capable for the job of putting together men to form an armed and mounted police force in the Transvaal and Orange River Colony. The book is an in-depth look at exactly what Baden-Powell went through in his efforts to get the job done. Moving away from traditional (at the time) Army models, Baden-Powell wanted a force that would have as its smallest unit, a squad of 6 men under the command of a corporal. He expected his force to be made up of men of good honor, efficient, and able to handle anything thrown at them. While the book focuses on its subject of the SAC, it also touches upon Baden-Powell’s establishment of the Scouting movement. He took many of his ideas and thoughts on how the SAC worked and created the worldwide Scouting program. The book contains several very interesting photographs. Using archival material, the author, Hamish Ross, does a very good job of highlighting the history of the development of the South African Constabulary, and Baden-Powell’s singular efforts to bring it to fruition. Thank you to the author, Pen & Sword, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I didn’t really get too gripped by the content and gave up on it, so I can’t comment on the contents past noting that it is probably a good reference book if you need data on Baden Powell or his history but not a book for the casual reader, in my opinion.

Set at the turn of the century during the Boer War, this book explores how Robert Baden-Powell (hero of the Siege of Mafeking) was tasked with creating a new combined police/military force. His highly organised approach and his slightly unconventional ways led to the creation of the South African Constabulary (SAC), a mounted force that would be paid better than the regular Army and committed to a code of honour. The number of officers was relatively small, with men divided into troops of 100, made up of a number of sections, which in turn were made up of squads or patrols of 6 men with a corporal in charge of them – BP was also determined that medical care for both humans & horses should be attached to each troop. The members of the SAC were taught to look after each other, obey orders, keep clean, be self-reliant and able to tackle any kind of work. B-P was adamant that the officers should not be seen to watch whilst their men worked, but to roll up their sleeves & get stuck in, working alongside.
The book follows the creation of the SAC, the problems faced in terms of getting the new force equipped – everything from uniforms to horses to the right calibre of men (not helped by the Governor General of Canada!).
Initially more of a military organisation, once hostilities were over in 1902, the SAC became more of a police force, patrolling the frontiers but also visiting all the farms/communities in their area at least once a week to ensure that people were happy and helping where they could, particularly with medical care – these regular visits helped to turn the tide of feelings towards the new force and the sense of community & working together helped peace be maintained.
Baden-Powell took many of the ideas he had tried in the SAC and refined them as he developed “Scouting for Boys” and we see many of the ideas reflected in Scouting/Guiding today.

The book is very well-researched, with material from multiple countries, and whilst it is quite dry and hard-going in the middle, it picks up again towards the end and it is worth slogging through it. The addition of photographs brings it to life. The book is quite fair in highlighting some of the successes, but also the failures of the new regime!
Overall, I am glad to have read this, and filled in some of the gaps in my knowledge of Baden-Powell between being the hero at Mafeking & starting the Scouts/Guides to which he devoted his later life.