Nature of the British army - Importance of Railways

Question 1

How did the Br control the railways?

Answer 1

set up a ‘Department of Military Railways’
&
a specialist unit of railway engineers to repair & extend network

Question 2

How did Br generals plan to use railways?

Answer 2

between key towns to invade the Boer strongholds of OFS & Transvaal

Question 3

What was the problem with using railways?

Answer 3

was vulnerable as Boers found it easy to block/cut the tracks

(only land alternative to trains was ox-wagons and horses)

Question 4

What did the Br do to improve railways?

Answer 4

May 1900+ Br moved to gain control of Transvaal railways
- took key stations
- incorporated Boer lines into their own Imperial Military Railways

Question 5

What did the Br control in 4 months?

Answer 5

By Sept 1900 controlled Boers’ line from Pretoria to Delagoa Bay

Question 6

What was one of Kitchener’s main objectives in the latter stages of the war regarding railways?

Answer 6

to stop Boer raids on the railways system by fortifying stations & using armoured trains