Battle Lines: Last Boer War Veteran

[rudikrause]

The commonwealth troops did have a bit of a hard time there, but many of them had no lack of courage - especially the scots and australians - more a case of useless officers really. I happen to have a great-grandfather who fought on the Boer-side. The boers started out with only 40000 and ended with only 18000 (and pretty much just farmers). With the over 380 000 com troops there the boers (my blood-relations) could have been squashed like a bug. However once again (as during WW1) a case of exc

[TheRockandroll420]

Its sad to be old

[PrincessJaneway]

Check out the chauffeur at 1:05 and 1:34 (The man in the awesome hat helping him get in the car) cause thats my dad, He was one of the greatest men ever to live and I miss him

R.I.P. Daddy

[rephaim23]

There were a lot of Canadian men who fought in the Boer War.

Alfred John Nye who was born in Brighton, England in 1878 enlisted in the second contingent of volunteers from Vancouver, BC in 1898 at the age of 20. He was awarded 2 medals, and was the first British Columbian returnee from the Boer War.

In 1901 he was granted 160 acres of forest land in Lynn Valley. (Incidentally on clearing this land he cut down a Douglas fir which he measured at 410 feet long and 14 ft 3 inches diameter!)

[Mrfairchap]

The (2nd) Boer War was one of the most farcical and pointless wars in history - and, as you can guess, that is a pretty crowded field. None of which reflects on this dear old chap - like many thousands of his comrades, he only saw himself as doing his duty. May mankind one day see an end to all wars, the greatest waste of all human talent and promise. Thanks for posting.

[NathanF11989]

I've recently watched the full interview with Mr. Ives on the Battle Lines DVD. He truly was a remarkable man. RIP George.

[chanctonbury63]

My Grandfather tried to enlist for the Boer war, aged 7 in his night shirt in South Wales. They took him back to his Mum!

[TheXand19]

@chanctonbury63 You must be like a million :O

[chanctonbury63]

@TheXand19 Er what?

[chanctonbury63]

@TheXand19 Er what?

[OsCassador]

@ steve

They used loose line formations, headlong charges against defended positions. similar to ww1, though in ww1 the generals who fought in the boer war, and the russo-japanese war, and observed it, didn't heed the warnings of how far defensive technology progressed, and how far behind offensive technology was.

[steve5123456789]

Were they using line formations when fighting the Boer War?

[drbogo321]

@steve5123456789 Not only did the Military continue to use line formations against machine gun positions in World War One(with horrendous results) the Japanese used those same tactics in World War Two. They were successful early in the war. However, the Battle of the Tenaru/Ilu/Alligator in the Solomons the Japanese "fighting sprit" was no match for United States Marines and John Moses Browning's machine guns. The used the same tactics until the end.

[pipersplay]

When I interviewed George over three days he told me the reason he didn't serve during the First World War was because he was considred too old by the Canadian recrutiment officer. He was already 34 years old in 1914 and married with children. I beleive the medal on his right breast is not an official award but one given by the local Canadian Legion.

pipersplay

[ThibetanMonk]

I read he tried to enlist but was rejected from service in World War I because of a heart murmur. I see the Queen's South Africa Medal, 4 bars on his chest. What's the other one?

[PapagenoJuan2]

Wow!!! that is really awesome!!! I would do anything to meet a Civil war veteran. think of those veterans and those stories they would tell of the war between the states and Lincoln :))

[willobi]

a true living ancester of our time.

[RTSgameVideos]

Did they where a red coat then.

[axeholme2]

my grandfather was in the Boer War in the 5th Royal Irish Lancers. They took very heavy losses. He was a RSM, they don't make them like him anymore.

[njcurmudgeon]

Amazing stuff. Here's something to ponder for the Americans - the last surviving Civil War veterans died in the 1940s and 1950s. Some were born at a time when as children they could listen to stories of old men recalling the American Revolution. When those Civil War vets were old men themselves, they could have seen World War II or even Korea. Talk about spanning the breadth of history! Thanks for posting this.

[SilkyAlien]

Respect Mr. Ives.

[revgin]

god bless ya sir

[grincher2006]

i remember seeing mr ives at the remembrance weekend celebrations on the saturday in 1992. Obviously, that was before google and wikipedia so it was rare finding out about these things. I thought, blimey, he was a living link with history. Its amazing to think that was almost 17 years ago now.

[Kathyvanvuuren]

So interesting. wonder what happened to the Kruger Millions?

[afrikaaner999]

Piet Joubert was probably given command of Boer army as consolation after Kruger stole the election from him. But he should have been set aside for the younger Boer generals who would have seized Durban and give British a second thought about losing a second war with Boers.

[thisitesucksrealtime]

Respect, Mr Ives.

[DavidMed58]

Thats a hero right there.

[aWTFproduction]

that is amazing..the Boer war?!?!

[Chubachus]

nice vid. he died soon after :(

[midianholic]

RIP George.

[cultofmao]

My Irish grandfather was an Irish Guard he fought in South African Campaign and Sudan and then first world war where he was gassed, i know very little only what my mother told me. Anyway he made home to Kinsale, Co. Cork and died of old age before i was born, pity would love to have met him.

[RudolphHucker2]

We got our arses kicked in this conflict but what an amazing video to see and hear a real hero from such a distant past, total respect for this man

[eternalwanker]

He was already 65 at the end of the second world war

[Myndir]

Utterly stunning. This war changed both South Africa and the UK forever; both the origins of Anglo-Boer emnity in South Africa and the socio-political class settlement of the UK from the Liberal Reforms onwards were heavily influenced by this war.

[lonewulf44]

Wow ... great video, thanks for posting! This man demands and gets respect! Wow ... amazing!

[midianholic]

I echo that. Wonderful.

RIP George.

[Riutanharju]

Thanks for the info. Nowadays there are very few WW1 veterans. In my country Finland lives Aarne Arvonen (born August 4, 1897) who is the last surviving veteran of the Finnish Civil War of 1918, serving for the Red Guard.

[Riutanharju]

When was this interview made?

[iamNOTastalker147]

This was 1992 I think. He died in April the next year, according to Wikipedia.

[cumberlandgap]

LOL

Thank God for the Empire.

[fenianfay]

think of the changes this man must of seen in his life time!

[leejackson1853]

you gotta love history!! god bless you old timer

[drudgedread]

My grandfather is a Boer War Vet he was one of very few CANADIAN's that survived the BOER WAR and in 1960's in his 80's he went to OTTAWA to receive some sort of HONOURS from the GOVERNOR GENERAL... Im trying to track info on that trip down. Dont know if have more info on Canadians from the BOER WAR??

[cumberlandgap]

My g g grandfather served in the Boer War - he later emigrated to Canada and was KIA with the PPCLI, aged 50.

[8data]

great youtube posting

[platozzz]

Damn, I hoped to see a Boer-veteran!

Nevertheless a great video. That war was really from an other age.

[IRVINEDRUM]

Thanks Piperplay, There were 2 Willie Rosss'. Queen's Piper was from the Black Watch as was Campbell. Campbell took over from Ross in 1883, even although Ross was unofficially Head

Piper until 1891 at his death. Scots Guards Ross wrote many Piping Books.

Nice to hear from you,

Kind regards.

[IRVINEDRUM]

Some men did enter the Canadian service in WW1 older than 40yrs. A cousin born in 1872

joined up in 1914. He was married with a family. He became a Pipe Major of the 42nd

Black Watch and the PPCLI.

[pipersplay]

You are correct but they were probably volunteers. Also I believe farming was a reserved occupation and George had by that time (after helping to build the railway) becaome a farmer.

Regards

pipersplay

[IRVINEDRUM]

Thanks for replying. My man was a William Campbell ( Piper to Queen Victoria ). Lived at Vancouver as did Mr Ives. Did you know of

Campbell by chance ?

[steve5123456789]

@IRVINEDRUM Not dads army then lol.

[pipersplay]

George Ives had already emmigrated to Canada  by 1914 and was in fact too old for WWI. He was already 34 years old, married with children and therefore exempt from the Canadian forces.

Pipersplay

[BIFRevolver]

Agree, amazing story and an amazing man. Was he in the Great war as well?

[mrzdavid]

Amazing Story!

[pipersplay]

The interview was filmed in 1992 and partly shown on a documentary called Instrument of War 1997. A longer interview was included on the Battle Lines documentary, released 2007.

pipersplay

[gazerman65]

Wow, incredible that he's so articulate at 111years of age. It's great that we can get an interview about such a forgotten conflict.

[saif316]

When was this documentary made?

[madmancleaver86]

What a legend. God Rest your Soul George Ives