I have just finished reading Zulu Frontiersman by Ron Lock and Peter Quantrill all about Major C G Dennison. It is heavily based on A Fight to the Finish, but has been polished up a bit.
There is a reference which was of particular interest to me "... During my absence the column marched for the Hoopstad district, and had an engagement with the combined Commandos of Commandant-General Badenhorst and Commandants Jacobs and Erasmus, and drove them off, effecting considerable loss on the enemy. On this occasion four scouts were taken by the Boers, two of which, Hoffman and Hannay- both slightly off-coloured, weere shot in cold blood ..." the casualy roll records that on 23rd July 1901 , N0. 66 Private G Hannie and no. 69 Private J Hoffman were captured at Palmietpan and 'since reported shot' The other two ( whiter, I guess ) scouts , 26149 Sergeant J Rolland and 38003 Private F Jacobs were taken POW and released ( they were found on Boer waggons a few days later when these were captured by De Lisle's column. )
No. 17 , Private A Cornelius was the next entry on the casualty roll as having been dangerously wounded at Wolverpan on 25th July 1901.
This all raises a number of questions :-
1) Were the coloured scouts given a different numbering series to their white counterparts ?
2) Was is general Boer policy to execute non whites found fighting for the British ?
