Buller in South Africa
Julian Symons describes how, in the year of South African crisis, 1899, Buller, once regarded as the ablest of British commanders, was stricken by a strange failure of nerve.
At twelve minutes past two on the afternoon of October 14th, 1899, Sir Redvers Buller left Waterloo Station on his way to South Africa, as Commander-in-Chief of the British armies in the field against the Boers. The Duke of Cambridge and Lord Wolseley, the past and present Commanders-in-Chief of the Army, were there, with the Prince of Wales, to bid him goodbye, and these three followed Buller to his saloon.
“A few words and a hasty grasp of hands between the Prince of Wales and Sir Redvers Buller, and the train, under the charge of Mr. Holmes, assistant superintendent, was in motion.”
Buller was at this time nearly sixty years old, and even those who disliked his brusque speech and overbearing manner thought that he was the most able General in the British Army. As far back as 1885, Lord Esher had noted in his Journal: “Buller is said to be the best man—take him all round—in the British Army. Not a very pleasant fellow.”
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