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
Siege of Mafeking postage stamps printed with his own picture on them. In late 1899, he authorized the printing of siege banknotes. Made by Townshend & Son, Printers (Mafeking) using woodcut printing, notes were backed by the Standard Bank of South Africa and issued in denominations of 1, 2, 3, and 10 shillings, and 1 pound. Each note has the facsimile signatures of Robert Urry, Standard Bank of South Africa (Mafeking branch manager) and Captain Herbert Greener, Chief Paymaster of the British South African police. Redemption of the notes ended in 1908. Although usually outnumbered by Boer troops, the garrison withstood the siege