I have not seen the movie, but here is a sweet poem by Morant.
A SONG by Harry ("Breaker") Morant
The sun may shine, the rain may fall,
And the world roll round about, -
The king's men and king's horses all
Can never rub one thing out.
Skies may darken - clouds will flit -
Troubles may gather and go:
For my sweetheart loves me "just a bit!
And, oh! I love her so.
The vapour vanishes in the sun!
So pass cures, doubts, and pains -
For I'm "loved a bit" by the dearest one,
And the best the world contains.
Breaker Morant
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chonsigirl
- Posts: 33633
- Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2005 8:28 am
Breaker Morant
SnoozeControl;443227 wrote: I'm on an "I love all things Australian" trip lately, so I rented this movie. 
I don't know a thing about the Boer Wars, but I do understand about a country sacrificing citizens for political reasons, and I find it incredibly cowardly and criminal. This movie was heartbreaking considering the accused were following orders, but the higher ups decided to use them as scape goats to appease, cover their asses and apparently to try ending a really stupid 'war.' I only got the gist of the conflict here, but these were farmers set upon by professional soldiers because the farmers wanted their independence? Sick, sick, sick.
Yes, Aussie soldiers were basically used as fall guys by the British for suppsedly executing Boer pow's. Ubfortunately pretty standard in most militarys. When I was in the ME two of our F-15's mistakenly shot down two US Army heliopters carrying about 20 people. The entire effort of the military was on covering the butts of all the generals and trying to hang one lone captan who was on board an AWACS aircraft(they direct fighters to attack targets) and vectored the fighters in to attack the helicopters. The helicopters were not using their IFF transponders as they were supposed to do and were identified as hostile and shot down. Fortunatley the captain was aquitted of all charges as he was just doing what he was supposed to do. The real problem was a lack of communication and following proceudres by the Army and Air Force and was the repsonisbility of the commanders who of course were never charged with negilgence..
I don't know a thing about the Boer Wars, but I do understand about a country sacrificing citizens for political reasons, and I find it incredibly cowardly and criminal. This movie was heartbreaking considering the accused were following orders, but the higher ups decided to use them as scape goats to appease, cover their asses and apparently to try ending a really stupid 'war.' I only got the gist of the conflict here, but these were farmers set upon by professional soldiers because the farmers wanted their independence? Sick, sick, sick.
Yes, Aussie soldiers were basically used as fall guys by the British for suppsedly executing Boer pow's. Ubfortunately pretty standard in most militarys. When I was in the ME two of our F-15's mistakenly shot down two US Army heliopters carrying about 20 people. The entire effort of the military was on covering the butts of all the generals and trying to hang one lone captan who was on board an AWACS aircraft(they direct fighters to attack targets) and vectored the fighters in to attack the helicopters. The helicopters were not using their IFF transponders as they were supposed to do and were identified as hostile and shot down. Fortunatley the captain was aquitted of all charges as he was just doing what he was supposed to do. The real problem was a lack of communication and following proceudres by the Army and Air Force and was the repsonisbility of the commanders who of course were never charged with negilgence..
You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be misquoted, then used against you.
Breaker Morant
[QUOTE=SnoozeControl;443227]I'm on an "I love all things Australian" trip lately, so I rented this movie.
I don't know a thing about the Boer Wars, but I do understand about a country sacrificing citizens for political reasons, and I find it incredibly cowardly and criminal. This movie was heartbreaking considering the accused were following orders, but the higher ups decided to use them as scape goats to appease, cover their asses and apparently to try ending a really stupid 'war.' I only got the gist of the conflict here, but these were farmers set upon by professional soldiers because the farmers wanted their independence? Sick, sick, sick.
Not quite that simple. Imperial wars are very far from being black and white.
The Boer War (also known as the Anglo-Boer War or the South African War, and sometimes referred to as the Second Boer War to distinguish it from a short conflict in 1881) was fought between the forces of the British Empire and the combined forces of the Transvaal and Orange Free State, the two independent Boer republics. The direct cause of the war was the refusal of the Boers (Afrikaners) to offer political rights to the mainly British `Uitlander' immigrant workforce. The larger cause was British imperial ambitions in South Africa, rich in gold and diamonds. The Boers issued an ultimatum, then invaded Natal on 11 October 1899. The existing British forces were beaten back, and an invasion force under Sir Redvers Buller made a two-pronged attack, to the west along the border between Cape Colony and Orange Free State, and to the east in Natal attempting to relieve Ladysmith. Major reverses were suffered at Magersfontein, Colenso and Spion Kop, and the overall command was taken over by Lord Roberts, who advanced from the south-west to take first Bloemfontein and then Pretoria (5 June 1900). The fighting then developed into a guerilla war which continued to May 1902, when the Boer forces were eventually subdued by Lord Kitchener.
It's a british film. We're not averse to looking our history in the face. It was also during the boer war we introduced the first concentration camps and deliberately targeted the civilian population with a scorched earth policy. Imperial glory is often talked about but often lacking to 21st century eyes.
http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-vc/ ... morant.htm
It was an irregular force specially formed to counter the Boer commando tactics of hit and run, live off the land and strike when least expected. The BVC lived the same way. They fought fire with fire.
While operating north of Pietersburg the local BVC commander, Capt Frederick Percy Hunt, Morant's best friend, was wounded, captured, tortured, mutilated and then killed by Boers.
"Captain Hunt's body was struck by a bullet at close range. It passed through his right shoulder. This was a simple wound and did not cause his death. When found the body was stripped naked. The sinews at the backs of both knees and ankles had been severed. The fore head was bruised and the right cheekbone was crushed. Captain Hunt had been castrated". from 'The Breaker" by Kit Denton
Morant, Lt Peter Handcock. Lt George Witton and Harry Picton shot a Boer prisoner called Visser, claiming that he was wearing Hunt's clothing. They later executed other Boer prisoners claiming that they had been placed under verbal orders to "take no prisoners". Later a Boer sympathizer, a German missionary was shot while on his way to complain about the killings. Handcock, Witton and Morant were charged with murder on several counts. They were acquitted on the count of killing the missionary but convicted on the other charges.
All in all a very nasty war.
Have a look at gallipoli as well. Mel gibson is in it but don't let that put you off.
I don't know a thing about the Boer Wars, but I do understand about a country sacrificing citizens for political reasons, and I find it incredibly cowardly and criminal. This movie was heartbreaking considering the accused were following orders, but the higher ups decided to use them as scape goats to appease, cover their asses and apparently to try ending a really stupid 'war.' I only got the gist of the conflict here, but these were farmers set upon by professional soldiers because the farmers wanted their independence? Sick, sick, sick.
Not quite that simple. Imperial wars are very far from being black and white.
The Boer War (also known as the Anglo-Boer War or the South African War, and sometimes referred to as the Second Boer War to distinguish it from a short conflict in 1881) was fought between the forces of the British Empire and the combined forces of the Transvaal and Orange Free State, the two independent Boer republics. The direct cause of the war was the refusal of the Boers (Afrikaners) to offer political rights to the mainly British `Uitlander' immigrant workforce. The larger cause was British imperial ambitions in South Africa, rich in gold and diamonds. The Boers issued an ultimatum, then invaded Natal on 11 October 1899. The existing British forces were beaten back, and an invasion force under Sir Redvers Buller made a two-pronged attack, to the west along the border between Cape Colony and Orange Free State, and to the east in Natal attempting to relieve Ladysmith. Major reverses were suffered at Magersfontein, Colenso and Spion Kop, and the overall command was taken over by Lord Roberts, who advanced from the south-west to take first Bloemfontein and then Pretoria (5 June 1900). The fighting then developed into a guerilla war which continued to May 1902, when the Boer forces were eventually subdued by Lord Kitchener.
It's a british film. We're not averse to looking our history in the face. It was also during the boer war we introduced the first concentration camps and deliberately targeted the civilian population with a scorched earth policy. Imperial glory is often talked about but often lacking to 21st century eyes.
http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-vc/ ... morant.htm
It was an irregular force specially formed to counter the Boer commando tactics of hit and run, live off the land and strike when least expected. The BVC lived the same way. They fought fire with fire.
While operating north of Pietersburg the local BVC commander, Capt Frederick Percy Hunt, Morant's best friend, was wounded, captured, tortured, mutilated and then killed by Boers.
"Captain Hunt's body was struck by a bullet at close range. It passed through his right shoulder. This was a simple wound and did not cause his death. When found the body was stripped naked. The sinews at the backs of both knees and ankles had been severed. The fore head was bruised and the right cheekbone was crushed. Captain Hunt had been castrated". from 'The Breaker" by Kit Denton
Morant, Lt Peter Handcock. Lt George Witton and Harry Picton shot a Boer prisoner called Visser, claiming that he was wearing Hunt's clothing. They later executed other Boer prisoners claiming that they had been placed under verbal orders to "take no prisoners". Later a Boer sympathizer, a German missionary was shot while on his way to complain about the killings. Handcock, Witton and Morant were charged with murder on several counts. They were acquitted on the count of killing the missionary but convicted on the other charges.
All in all a very nasty war.
Have a look at gallipoli as well. Mel gibson is in it but don't let that put you off.
Breaker Morant
I'm on an "I love all things Australian" trip lately,
Watch Gallipoli starring the Jew hater. WW 1 flick. :rolleyes: That should cure ya.
Watch Gallipoli starring the Jew hater. WW 1 flick. :rolleyes: That should cure ya.
I AM AWESOME MAN
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Richard Bell
- Posts: 1228
- Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 8:56 am
Breaker Morant
I saw BM about 20 years ago. It's a powerful, moving film.
SPOILER : (highlight to read)
These days, I'd cheer when they shoot that hate spewing Gibson S.O.B.
SPOILER : (highlight to read)
These days, I'd cheer when they shoot that hate spewing Gibson S.O.B.
Breaker Morant
SnoozeControl;443256 wrote: Off topic here, but is AWACS also known as E3A?
yes it is..
yes it is..
You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be misquoted, then used against you.
Breaker Morant
Diuretic;444490 wrote: Breaker Morant - the film, starred Edward Woodward, a British actor, in the title role. It's actually an Australian film, it was filmed not far from where I live. Morant joined the military here in South Australia and there's still a bit of local discussion about it because his name still doesn't appear on the Honour Roll of Boer War soldiers from here. I'm not sure if that has been resolved, last I heard a few years ago some people were trying to get his name put on the Roll.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080310/
Mel Gibson is an American (we only claimed him when he was being nice)
I stand corrected. I assumed it was british with edward woodward being in it. Lot of surprising films come out of australia & new zealand.
I reckon he was clearly guilty but was used as a scapegoat and to detract attention from what else was going on.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080310/
Mel Gibson is an American (we only claimed him when he was being nice)
I stand corrected. I assumed it was british with edward woodward being in it. Lot of surprising films come out of australia & new zealand.
I reckon he was clearly guilty but was used as a scapegoat and to detract attention from what else was going on.
Breaker Morant
Diuretic;444652 wrote: I think the script was either written by or adapted from a book written by Kit Denton. I also think that it may have over-romanticised Morant (just remembering the debate when the film came out) and condemned the British authorities perhaps too harshly. It's a sort of quirk in Australia that we look back at events in the early history of the country and its relationship with Britain and see them in a different light, almost a sort of revisionism. I think that the Boer War, which began before federation in 1901, saw various colonies sending personnel to help the Mother Country in her fight, of course back then Australians saw themselves as British rather than Australian. Our sense of nationalism came somewhat later.
On edit - wrong - it was from a play, so the IMDB says. Actually the book is a good read too.
Attitudes change and people are better at questioning what they are told by their leaders. Also fighting for the British empire is not an ideal that most nowadays would relate to.
Looking back you have a clearer view of events and what led up to them. It's not so much revisionism per se as getting a better understanding of the way things can sometimes be portrayed. Politicians tend not to like it as the logical extension is to cast a cynical eye on what is happening today. They like to be in control but it's harder with a well educated population.
Gallipoli was another "glorious failure".
On edit - wrong - it was from a play, so the IMDB says. Actually the book is a good read too.
Attitudes change and people are better at questioning what they are told by their leaders. Also fighting for the British empire is not an ideal that most nowadays would relate to.
Looking back you have a clearer view of events and what led up to them. It's not so much revisionism per se as getting a better understanding of the way things can sometimes be portrayed. Politicians tend not to like it as the logical extension is to cast a cynical eye on what is happening today. They like to be in control but it's harder with a well educated population.
Gallipoli was another "glorious failure".