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  1. #1
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    Default ANGLO BOER WAR: From the siege of the port of Sevastopol, Crimea to Girl Guides of Ceylon





    Girl Guides of Ceylon ( Sri LAnka) who heard the Boerekrygsgevangenes (af - Boer prisoner of war) perform it during the beginning of the last century.
    The Soviet version is more militaristic than the traditional version but still clearly recognisable.
    A nurse was heard singing it to a wounded soldier during the legendary siege of Leningrad.
    The Russian connection with the Boer War I is often forgotten that the Anglo-Boer War was one of the great liberal and left-wing causes of the late 19th century. Among these fighters were 225 Russians. They fought in some of the bloodiest battles of the war including Spioenkop and Tugela Heights.

    Lieutenant Yevgeny Augustus recorded in his diary the wonder in which the Russians were held by the Afrikaners they fought alongside. “Do you people have cows in Russia,” he was asked. “Yes, we do. And what about sheep? We have them as well. And what about railways? Yes, we have railways too!”
    The most famous Russian soldier was Colonel Yevgeny Maximov, who came to lead the 300-strong “Foreign Legion.”4 An adviser to Boer generals and presidents, he is famously shown being shot at point-blank range by Captain Towse in a painting in the Africana Library in Johannesburg. Captain Towse was awarded the Victoria Cross, but Maximov survived. After the war, Transvaal President Paul Kruger wrote to Maximov. “Motivated by the absolutely selfless impulse of your soul, you have fulfilled your duty as an able and fearless representative of the Volunteer Commando under your leadership.”

    The importance of the Russian troops was eclipsed by the work of the medical staff. The Russian Red Cross sent everything from ambulance units, complete with doctors, nurses and administrators to teams who served in hospitals. Huge sums of money were raised to finance the operation, with an appeal in St Petersburg alone bringing in 100,000 roubles. The medical staff won the heartfelt thanks of Kruger, who organised for them to come and meet him.
    “He thanked us all, in the warmest possible manner for the timely help,” one of the nurses later recalled. At Kroonstad an ambulance unit established a hospital with 106 beds. Captured by the British, the hospital continued operating. The needs were enormous. The British had 60,000 men, and only three doctors to serve them. Soon the Russians were treating the British sick and wounded as well.
    A wave of public support swept across Russia. There were popular postcards, pamphlets and books. “Church services are held for President Kruger’s health. Orchestras in public places are asked to play ‘the Boer anthem’ and when they do they have to repeat it indefinitely,” reported a St Petersburg magazine in 1900.

    Streets were renamed, “Transvaalskaia, and Krugerovskaia.”

    In the circumstances, is it any wonder that when the medical staff and soldiers came home, singing the songs they had learnt at the front, they fed into the popular imagination.

    When the Soviet Marines fought against the German 11th Army in Sevastopol, they turned to the music they had heard in their childhoods. Sarie Marais. ( Forward the Red Marines)




    And in France

    live out your imagination , not your history.

  2. #2
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    Default Re: ANGLO BOER WAR: From the siege of the port of Sevastopol, Crimea to Girl Guides of Ceylon

    An interesting bit of history KK20.
    Thanks.

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    Default Re: ANGLO BOER WAR: From the siege of the port of Sevastopol, Crimea to Girl Guides of Ceylon

    Do yourselves a favour and start listening to this, perfect for your commute

    Download any podcast app, I find castbox works the best. Download some episodes when you're on wifi and listen when you have time

    https://castbox.fm/va/1061067

    Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

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    Default Re: ANGLO BOER WAR: From the siege of the port of Sevastopol, Crimea to Girl Guides of Ceylon

    Haven't been on the forum for a while but a good contribution KK20.

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    Default Re: ANGLO BOER WAR: From the siege of the port of Sevastopol, Crimea to Girl Guides of Ceylon

    Wow. Just.....wow. I did know the Russian government made a plea to the German Empire to intervene militarily on the side of the Boer Republics (which the Germans refused, the bastards) but I didn't know about Russia's contribution to the war itself, nor how it affected their own culture.

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    Default Re: ANGLO BOER WAR: From the siege of the port of Sevastopol, Crimea to Girl Guides of Ceylon

    Excellent & informative post. Thankyou!

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    Default Re: ANGLO BOER WAR: From the siege of the port of Sevastopol, Crimea to Girl Guides of Ceylon

    It is a pleasure meeting Russians or Poles and discussing the Anglo Boer War as well as later SA history with them.

    I knew about the Russian contributions. If possible, please read "A few months with the Boers". It is a book written after the war by a Russian nurse Ivanova.

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    Default Re: ANGLO BOER WAR: From the siege of the port of Sevastopol, Crimea to Girl Guides of Ceylon



    The Royal Marines (RM) are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom.
    "Sarie Marais" was adopted in 1953 as the offical march of the Royal Marines Commandos and is played after the Regimental March on ceremonial occasions.
    live out your imagination , not your history.

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    Default Re: ANGLO BOER WAR: From the siege of the port of Sevastopol, Crimea to Girl Guides of Ceylon



    Du Toit Bredenkamp's stirring rendition of "Sarie Marais" sung at the Boer War Memorial Service held in Perth, Western Australia on the 1st of June 2014.
    SAMVOA laid a wreath on behalf of the Boer men who died during the conflict. The Emily Hobhouse Wreath, in honour and memory of the approximately 36 000 Boer women and children who died during this time, was also laid.
    live out your imagination , not your history.

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    Default Re: ANGLO BOER WAR: From the siege of the port of Sevastopol, Crimea to Girl Guides of Ceylon

    Interesting thread, thank you KK20!

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