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 The African Military Connection
www.the-amc.com
Tel: + 27 11 640 6325
Boer War memorabilia has been collected since war was first fought. We have an uncanny affliction with the way we choose to destroy each other. The world has always thought up new ways to harm each other in the name of religion, in the name of politics and in the name of conquest. The weaponry that has been used over the last hundred or so years has been collected and taken care of for the collector to cherish.
Our fascination extends to the history and not so much the why a war was fought, but how was the war fought in our minds. We used camouflage, webbing backpacks, bayonets, camping equipment, helmets. All these items were used for protection, not only from the enemy but from the elements as well. A good pair of boots would last you a number of campaigns as it would not be readily replaced. The weaponry was hugely important as your training dictated it to you. That your weapon is an extension of you and you must take care of it no matter what. Obey the chain of command and respect your superiors. They are the ones with the ranking military badges.
That is how the AMC prides itself on taking care of the memorabilia. It is a discipline that we have all lacked at one stage or another. But a soldier doesn't change his attitude after the war is finished. The discipline remains and a lot of other aftershocks do as well. Honouring the past is easy because hindsight is 20/20. I hope we can all learn from the past and these relics keep us thinking about the times that men have suffered to preserve a better future for us.
The AMC is helping us save the memories of the past. Even though these are memories that would rather be left alone. They cannot be discarded completely because that would be worse than denying the past. One way of showing gratitude and appreciation was awarding Rhodesian war medals to the brave. Celebrating the past for what is meant is a very different perspective. Celebrate the brave souls and the camaraderie it brought amongst the soldiers and officers. A grand tradition of discipline and brotherhood was forged through the most trying of times. And we celebrate that at the AMC
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