When the opening shots of the South African War reverberated across the world on 12 October 1899, the small, dusty border town of Mafeking, with the adjacent Baralong settlement, was garrisoned and plunged into the privations, dangers and destruction of a siege. Although not of major military importance, the seven-month-long siege became one of the most famous episodes of the war, and the fate of the town assumed a symbolic importance for Britain and the Empire. During the ensuing century, it has aroused extreme reactions, and the conduct of the British garrison and its colorful commanding officer, Colonel Robert Baden-Powell, has been both glorified and vilified.To mark the centenary of the South African War 1899-1902, The Brenthurst press revisited this controversial episode with a comprehensive re-examination of the Siege of Mafeking, inspired initially by a major manuscript collection in The Brenthurst Library.
