How did Great Britain combat the guerrilla warfare conducted against them in South Africa?

Answer 1

In order to properly answer this question, the background information that faced the British needs to be noted.

The British forces in South Africa had a difficult time with the guerrilla forces. Their foes the Boers, skilled and active were also mostly mounted. They were able to break key British railway lines, almost 300 times within a twelve month span. The guerrillas were also to make huge gains by early on conducting major raids. They also were able to cut off clean water supplies and forced the British to drink polluted water. This resulted in almost doubling British deaths from typhoid fever.

The British response was a huge undertaking that required a strong nation like Great Britain to even attempt it.

The British did the following:

1. Stringing long lines of barbed wire across the areas of importance and added guard houses (blockhouses ) which were close enough together to fire upon all barbed wire areas;

2. This effort was enhanced by using movable iron blockhouses;

3. These protective barriers could be constructed in a day with crews of several dozen laborers;

4. At its height this system consisted of 9,000 blockhouses and covered 5,000 miles of barbed wire lines;

5. Areas within South Africa were subdivided in such a manner as to make movements of guerrillas difficult;

6. The division of the entire defense apparatus was constructed as "compartments" and helped isolate guerrilla forces, then by mobile columns they either captured or killed many guerrillas;

7. Huge British resources and good political deals were offered in order to reduce resistance; and

8. British forces burned crops and buildings that were used to support the rebels.