Keeping the records straight: The literary afterlife of three Boer generals

Abstract

The intention of this article is to highlight some overlooked or lesser-known facets of the remarkable biographies of three Boer generals (Cronjé, Viljoen and De Wet). They achieved fame, particularly in the English-language media and publishing circles, immediately after the Second Anglo-Boer War. Whilst their reputations in the written literature are unassailable and of recurring interest, perhaps some over-mythologising has been responsible for occasional distortions which render their superb life stories less satisfying. The surprising and unexpected aftermath of such details in the subsequent records is also noted.