In 1880 Lord Roberts made his famous march in Afghanistan, from Kabul
to relieve Kandahar, which was besieged by the Afghans. He took ten
thousand men and marched the 320 miles in twenty-two days, which was a
splendid performance in that difficult, mountainous desert. He arrived
in time to relieve Kandahar and to inflict a very heavy defeat on the
Afghans. For his splendid victory here he received the title of Lord
Roberts "of Kandahar."
In 1900 he was Commander-in-Chief of the British forces in the Boer
war in South Africa. Here again he displayed his self-sacrifice and
determination.
His winning of the Victoria Cross had showed that, though a very small
man--he was very nearly rejected from the Army because he was so
small--he had great pluck. And he also had a great heart.
His pluck and self-control were perhaps better proved by his bracing
himself up to send men to their death in battle when he loved them and
would gladly have saved them if duty and the good of the Country were
not at stake. And it was in South Africa that he met with the sorrow
of his life, when his only son was killed in trying to save the guns
at the battle of Colenso.
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