The Victorian Soldier in Africa

Abstract

Established in the belief that imperialism as a cultural phenomenon had as significant an effect on the dominant as on the subordinate societies, Studies in Imperialism seeks to develop the new socio-cultural approach which has emerged through cross-disciplinary work on popular culture, media studies, art history, the study of education and religion, sports history and children's literature. The cultural emphasis embraces studies of migration and race, while the older political and constitutional, economic and military concerns are never far away. It incorporates comparative work on European and American empire-building, with the chronological focus primarily, though not exclusively, on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, when these cultural exchanges were most powerfully at work.

Reading Practices and Literacy of Boer Combatants in the South African War of 1899–1902

“…The standard reached by the majority of those in the ranks was "elementary at best". 21 In direct comparison both the average British soldier and the majority of the Boers could not claim more than a modest literacy. However, with the Boer force a reflection of society as will be seen below, there was a small upper class, whose literacy was remarkably high.…”

Equines in military operations in Sudan in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries

“…Ferguson himself "cut one man full on the head, but it had no effect on him" (NAM, 1888). Mutilation of the Hussars" bodies prompted rage among the troops but also (as is often the case in war) resulted in some poetry by a Trooper Wedlake (Spiers, 2013 borders, the Khalifa (the Mahdi"s successor) determined to end the "Abyssinian Problem". Avast army won several small fights in Ethiopia and sacked its capital at Gondar.…”

Race, Masculinity and Imperialism: The British Officer and the Egyptian Army (1882–1899)

“…68 The belief in a shared heightened masculinity caused a bond to develop between the British and the Sudanese and as Captain Somerset Astell recalled, 'the Soudanese and our men were always great friends' but 'one never saw any mingling of the white and Egyptian troops'. 69 Kitchener commented, 'I am exceeding fond of my black troops, but I fully know how hot-headed they are, and how quickly an idea may make them act rashly'. 70 As Kitchener suggested, the Sudanese were also associated with some negative traits.…”