Jameson Raid


This picture shows the men who took part in the Jameson Raid being deported back to Britain following their disastrous venture. Their raid on Transvaal had intended to start a general uprising of Uitlanders who were assumed to be unhappy with Boer control of the rich goldfields and would prefer British control. As it happened, the Boers got wind of the raid and were lying in wait. The Uitlanders were more interested in business than politics and did little to support Jameson. The event only heightened distrust between Britain and the Boer Republics which was further inflamed when the Kaiser of Germany sent a telegram to congratulate Paul Kruger on foiling the British. The event caused a political scandal back in Britain about who knew exactly what about the Raid and was instrumental in convincing the Boers that the British would never be reconciled to their rule of the gold fields and so helped bring about the start of the Boer War just four years later.


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by Stephen Luscombe