Mafeking Cadet Corps one of these days riding about like that when shells are flying'. And he replied 'I pedal so quick, Sir, they'd never catch me'." Mafeking Cadet Corps The Mafeking Cadet Corps was a group of boy cadets formed by Lord Edward Cecil shortly before the 217 day Siege of Mafeking in South Africa during the Second Boer War in 1899-1900. Cecil, the son of the British prime minister, was the staff officer and second-in-command of the garrison. The cadets consisted of volunteer white boys below fighting age and were used to support the troops, carry messages, and help in the
155 mm Creusot Long Tom the Boer Republics) and next to the town hall in Ladysmith. After the abortive Jameson Raid the government decided to build four forts around the capital, Pretoria. These were called Fort Schanskop, Fort Klapperkop, Fort Daspoortrand and Fort Wonderboompoort. A Long Tom was placed in each fort. After war broke out, three Long Toms were sent to the Natal front and the remaining one sent to Mafeking. The Long Tom arrived at Mafeking on 23 October 1899. It was hurriedly emplaced on a height called Jackal Tree, about 3,500 yards south of Mafeking on the Geysdorp road. The next day