155 mm Creusot Long Tom part of the war the time fuses did not work properly. Case shot was used as a last resort when the enemy's foot soldiers were close to the gun. Case shot was effective up to 400 metres. During the Second Boer War the guns were deployed as field guns and siege guns at Vaal Krantz, Ladysmith, Mafeking, Kimberley and Bergendal. During the early stages of the war these guns gave the Boers an advantage as they had longer range than any British guns that were deployed in South Africa at the time. After all their ammunition had been expended, the
Siege of Mafeking town showed they were well trained as they performed remarkably well in their intended mobile role. The Mafeking defending forces totalled around 2,000, including the Protectorate Regiment of around 500 men, around 300 from the Bechuanaland Rifles and the Cape Police and a further 300 men from the town. The British garrison armed 300 African natives with rifles, these were nicknamed the "Black Watch" and used to guard the perimeter. Prior to the siege, Lord Edward Cecil formed the Mafeking Cadet Corps of boys aged 12 to 15 (claimed to be one of the inspirations for the Boy Scouts) who