[Editor: This poem, by C. H. Cracknell, was published as a single-sided leaflet, circa 1899-1902. According to the leaflet, copies were being sold in order to raise funds for a family in financial distress.]
The
Boer War
Bravo, Australia!
Australia’s Sons, rise to the cry!
Old England is at war;
And though British heroes, wounded, die,
We’ll help to fight the Boers.
To show them we mean what we say,
And maintain Britain’s right;
Our boys already over there,
Have shown how they can fight.
Though, killed some have and wounded been
In the thickest of the fray,
Australians, still will follow on —
As witness here to-day.
At Glencoe’s brilliant attack,
Though poor Symons wounded lay,
Majuba Hill was well avenged
By the British on that day.
Who says British Pluck is not the same,
Will find in this, as other wars,
The British will their name maintain
When fighting with the Boers.
Bravo, Australians! our honour will
Be safe with those we send,
For England’s Queen and Flag, we know,
They’ll fight unto the end.
C. H. CRACKNELL.
(In Aid of a Distressed Family)
Source:
“The Boer War. Bravo, Australia! [Poem]”, Josef Lebovic Gallery
See also: [Collection of pamphlets on mainly Australian and New Zealand poetry], Trove (National Library of Australia) [notes that the State Library of NSW holds a copy of “The Boer War, Bravo Australia / C. H. Cracknell”]
Editor’s notes:
Boer = a South African of Dutch descent; Afrikaans for “farmer”; the Europeans in South Africa (primarily of Dutch and French Huguenot descent) who fought against the British in two major wars, the First Boer War (1880-1881) and the Second Boer War (1899-1902)
Boer War = (1899-1902) a war fought by two Boer republics — the South African Republic (also known as the Transvaal Republic) and the Orange Free State — against the British Empire; the war was also known as the Anglo-Boer War, or the South African War, although (in Britain) it was also called the Second Boer War, as the British had fought against the Boers in 1880-1881, however, as this was the first conflict in which Australian units had fought against the Boers, in Australia it was simply known as the Boer War, whilst the Boers, or Afrikaners, called it the Second War of Independence
Glencoe = a town in South Africa; it was the location of a battle (20 October 1899), known as the Battle of Talana Hill, or the Battle of Glencoe, which occurred during the Boer War (1899-1902)
Majuba Hill = a hill in South Africa, located near the town of Volksrust; it was the location of a battle (27 February 1881), known as the Battle of Talana Hill, or the Battle of Glencoe, which occurred during the First Boer War (1880-1881)
Symons = Major-General Sir William Penn Symons (1843-1899), an officer of the British Army who was commander of the British forces at Battle of Talana Hill (20 October 1899) during the Second Boer War (he was mortally wounded during the battle, and died of his wounds on 23 October 1899)
[Editor: Changed “Britian’s right” to “Britain’s right”.]
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