Empire Cricket Booklet

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R.M. POORE

When Kitchener returned in December 1900, it was under the shadow of rumoured death threats, and after discussions, Poore got him to consent to having a bodyguard. 36 Three days later, Kitchener told Poore to encourage prisoners of war to consider ways of terminating the war. Poore was to form committees in rural districts, and appoint men whom they could trust to encourage those still out on commando to surrender. 37 At the same time, Poore had the responsibility of establishing a refugee camp at Irene for women and children. Under great strain at work, Poore was unable to take his Pretoria cricket team to Johannesburg for a Boxing Day match. The last day of 1900 was celebrated with a dinner for Poore and the other officers, and the arriv�l of 1901 was marked by a half-day off to play tennis. In his diary, Poore reflected on how he saw things developing, commenting that the army was in desperate need of new blood. Very worried, he contemplated the unthinkable, writing that 'one thing which makes me a bit nervous i�. that it is within easy range of possibility that we lose South Africa altogether'. The first few months of 1901 were not happy ones, and work occupied almost all Poore's waking hours. Then, in April, quite unexpectedly, lle received the news that he had been awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his part in the campaigns of early 1900. Four months later, he received the news he had been hoping for, when a telegram arrived detailing his promotion to full major. Despite being away, Poore kept in touch with cricket at home through his wife's letters, and she regularly sent him cuttings of newspapers. He was particularly concerned with the fortunes of his friend John Greig, whom he had recommended to the Hampshire committee in 1900. The two corresponded, Greig actually suggesting that Poore arrange for his admirers to petition Kitchener to grant him leave. Work and the uncertainty of life during wartime ensured that there was little time for playing cricket in 1900 and 1901. However, Poore did his best to take advantage of the few opportunities he did have to keep in touch with local players. In early 1900, he arranged a match between the Garrison and Pretoria,

he was going out to China, where the Boxer Rising had taken place, and where he suggested he was more likely to achieve something and get home. He was appalled by what he saw as favouritism in the army, especially to members of the aristocracy. 32 Poore considered that his best hope lay with Roberts returning home and taking some of his staff with him. After seeing more military action at Belfast in late August, things looked different in early September when Roberts annexed the Transvaal, making it almost a certainty, Poore suggested optimistically, that he would be home by Christmas. There was further good news on 8 October when he was included on a list to go home with Roberts. However, the arrangements were far from certain, and Poore tried to see the commander-in-chief, but unfortunately he was too ill. On 23 October he was able to get an interview, but the news was disappointing. Kitchener, who was to take over from Roberts, had insisted that Poore stay in post as he was the only one who knew the local people well enough to answer his questions. It was, said Roberts, 'better for you to remain' and Poore advised his wife that 'I am determined to bear this cheerfully'. 33 The change of Kitchener for Roberts met with Poore's approval (he commented 'he is certainly not the ill mannered man I was led to suppose'). 34 Poore had considerable respect for the tenacity of the Boer forces and believed that only harsh measures would defeat them. Although he considered such tactics unpleasant, he saw them as the only ones likely to bring the war to a speedy end, and in November, during an interview with Kitchener, he discussed the setting up of refugee camps for men who were not prisoners of war, women and children - the start of the concentration camps with which Kitchener is so closely associated. Poore sensed that Kitchener approved but was concerned at the expense, and he was told to bring the matter up again when Kitchener returned from Pretoria. In a letter to his father, Poore repeated his ideas, writing that 'of course the only way to put down this gourilla [sic] warfare is to do a district at a time and I only hope Kitchener is going to do this. He expects to put an end to the present state of affairs soon so I suppose some kind of plan of this sort is in his head.' 35