Scapegoats of the Empire

Read the true story behind the movie Breaker Morant, written by George Witton the only surviving soldier of those sentenced to death for war atrocities.

During the Boer War in South Africa, Australian George Ramsdale Witton (1874 -1942) served as a lieutenant in the Bushveldt Carbineers until he was sentenced to death for murder after the shooting of nine Boer prisoners.

In his 1907 book "Scapegoats of the Empire," Witton's main assertion, as indicated by the book's provocative title, was that he, Morant, and Handcock were made scapegoats by the British authorities in South Africa - that they were made to take the blame for widespread British war crimes against the Boers, and that the trial and executions were carried out by the British for political reasons, partly to cover up a controversial and secret "no prisoners" policy promulgated by Kitchener, and partly to appease the Boer government over the killing of Boer prisoners, in order to facilitate a peace treaty; the Treaty of Vereeniging was signed on 31 May 1902.

Witton also claimed that many of the accusations about them, which led to their arrest and trial, were made by disaffected members of their regiment whose rebellious behaviour had been suppressed by Morant and Handcock.

His book, "Scapegoats of the Empire" was originally published in 1907 by D. W. Paterson of Melbourne. It has long been claimed that the book was suppressed by the Australian government and most copies were destroyed.

In introducing his book, Witton writes:

" When I arrived in Australia, I found that the grossest misrepresentations had been made by those primarily responsible for the manner of the warfare which "staggered humanity," and that they had succeeded in linking the name of Australia with the most tragic and odious incidents connected with a mercenary and inglorious war.

"If the publication of the truth will in some measure cause Australians, as a people, to take less on trust where their honour is concerned, and in future to demand the most searching enquiries and obtain definite proof before accepting the misdeeds of others as their own, then this record of an eventful experience will not have been written in vain."

Other books that cover Witton's story include:

• The Bushveldt Carbineers and the Pietersburg Light Horse by William (Bill) Woolmore, 2002,

• The Breaker, Angus and Robertson, 1973

• Carving From the Veldt: Rifle Carvings from the Anglo-Boer War, 1899-1902, 2004.

• Bye-Bye Dolly Gray, 2005

• Ready, Aim, Fire: Major James Francis Thomas, the Fourth Victim in the Execution of Lieutenant Harry "Breaker" Morant,