The Postal History of the Burgher, Refugee and Concentration Camps of the Anglo-Boer War During 1900 to 1903.

Spiral bound paperback, with acetate protective cover.

The work that has been published in recent years by the Anglo Boer War Philatelic Society is of a high and academic quality, and it is very, very informative.  This I discovered when a modest Joh Groenewald introduced me to the research published on Wolmaransstad, Schweizer- Reneke, Machadadorp, Rustenberg, Pietersburg and Lydenburg. In fact, a new world was opened up to me, a historian who has been involved in research on the Anglo-Boer War for almost forty years.

And now, Richard Stroud has done the Anglo-Boer War Philatelic Society proud with his publication on the postal history of the black and white concentration camps of that devastating war that raged over South Africa more than a hundred years ago.

A good start to judge a history book is to look at the sources consulted. Is that standard work that gives insight and a solid background there? Secondly has there been substantial archival research? And the answers? Yes, the standard work on the concentration camps is there-  the late S.B. Spies's Methods of Barbarism? (Human and Rousseau, Cape Town, 1977)- without which no clear understanding of the topic is possible. And yes, the author has done a great deal of archival research, to lend validity to his arguments and data.

However , it was when I started to read the manuscript that I realised the importance of Richard Stroud's work. There is no bias, which is in itself rare in a book on the concentration camps of the Anglo- Boer War. The text is highly readable and stimulating. But above all, it is - to use the phrase again - very, very informative, and clearly illustrates the author's superb knowledge of the topic.

Title, Contents, Appendices, Acknowledgements,Preface, Map. viii plus 272 pages text with numerous illustrations, some in colour, data, information etc.

National Philatelic Society Library stamp to cover and title and copyright page.

Very Good.

ISBN 978 0 901038 11 1