Frederick Maurice Crum

With the Mounted Infantry in South Africa: The Experiences of a Captain of the King's Royal Rifles M. I. During the Boer War Frederick Maurice Crum

Riflemen on horseback

The latter part of the 19th century returned to service a type of soldier who could trace his antecedents to the first dragoons-mounted men who would also fought on foot. Cavalry had specific roles to play, but in theatres of war involving huge distances or against fast moving, mobile and especially mounted enemies the requirement for the horse mounted infantryman ready to meet these challenges had become paramount. Never was the necessity for mounted infantry more apparent than upon the veldt of South Africa and against the flexible mounted commandos of the Boers. Several British infantry regiments included mounted contingents and the author of this book fought with one of the most highly regarded-the Kings Royal Rifles. There were few conflicts where the Rifles were not called upon to serve that did not see them involved in the thick of the action and the Boer War was no exception. All first hand accounts are invaluable source works, but in Crum the reader is fortunate to have a narrator who was involved in fierce close quarters skirmishing throughout most of his service. His descriptions of the fighting in which he and his riflemen were involved makes gripping reading. This Leonaur edition has been enhanced by the inclusion of several contemporary illustrations of the mounted infantry-and their close service comrades the Hussars-on campaign during the conflict. All those interested in the regiments, who once clad in green fought in front of Wellington's redcoats, will find much to engage them in this book.
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