In the fictional story, Lt Backsight Forethought has a series of dreams in which he is tasked with defending Duffer's Drift from attacking Boers with a platoon of 50 men. In his first dream, he makes no defensive preparations and the Boers easily defeat his force. In his second dream, he digs a square trench around the camp but it does not provide adequate protection from Boer rifle fire. In his third dream, he constructs a linear trench but it allows the Boers to accurately shell his position with artillery. After each defeat, Lt Forethought analyzes his mistakes and works to improve his defensive strategy.

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2. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 2
• The Defense of Duffer’s Drift is one of the most important works ever written on
small unit tactics.
• It was written by Major General Sir Ernest Dunlop Swinton in 1904 when Swinton
was a Captain.
• The storyline is fictional narrative in which a young British Offr serving in the Boer
War struggles to command a platoon (+) formation while establishing some basic
tactical concepts for the reader..
• The book is narrated by fictional character named as Lt Backsight Forethought by the
author, who was in command of 50 men infantry platoon (+) to defend a ford in the
river.
• Lt Backsight Forethought had a series of dreams in which his force was defeated by
the Boers.
INTRODUCTION

3. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 3
• After each dream, Lt Backsight Forethought analyzes his performance and
determines lessons learned.
• By the final dream, his force was successful in holding out the defenses until relieved.
• The lessons Lt Backsight Forethought learned are the timeless lessons of small unit
tactics and are as valuable today as they were at the turn of the century.
• This book is essential reading for soldiers, students of tactics and military history.
INTRODUCTION

4. • Introduction
• About the Author
• Synopsis of the Book
• The Six Dreams
• Dream
• Outcome
• Lessons Learnt
• Concl
The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 4
SEQUENCE

5. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 5
Born 21 October 1868, Bangalore India
Died 15 January 1951 (aged 82)
Oxford, Oxford shire
Allegiance United Kingdom
Arm / Svc Royal Engineers
Mil Svc 1888–1919
Rank Major General
Battles / Wars Second Boer War
First World War
Awards Knight Comd Order of the UK
Companion of the Order of Bath
Distinguished Service Order
Other work Air Ministry, Citroën, Chichele
Professor of Military History at
Oxford University
Col Comdt of Royal Tank Corps
Other Books by the Author
The Defence of Duffer's Drift, 1905
The Truth About Port Arthur, 1908
The Russian Army & Japanese War, 1909
Twenty Years After the Battlefield : 1914 – 18
The Green Curve, 1914
The Great Tab Dope, 1916
The Tanks, 1918
The Study of War, 1926
Eyewitnesses of the War, 1932
The Tank, 1918
The Study of War, 1926
Over My Shoulder (1951)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

6. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 6
• Major General Sir Ernest D. Swinton, was a noted English soldier.
• Author, scholar and professor.
• Considered by Field Marshal Earl Wavell as one of the most far-sighted officers
the British Army.
• He wrote before World War-I on the effects of air warfare, mining and of
psychological warfare.
• In 1914 Sir Ernest completely revolutionized warfare by his invention of the
machine that was to became known as the “Tank".
• He served as Professor of Military History at Oxford from 1925 to 1939, and as
Commandant of the Royal Tank Corps from 1934 to 1938 -- earning the rank of
Major General.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

7. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 7
• The Defense of Duffer's Drift is a fictional work, written in 1907 by British Army Major
General (then Capt) Ernest D. Swinton, that has become a classic of military training
literature.
• The story takes place in South Africa between 1899 and 1902, during the war between Great
Britain and the "Boers" or Dutch settlers.
• The story is of Lt ght Forethought, who is given responsibility to secure a “Drift" or low area
on a river where it is possible to cross.
• He was charged with defending the drift and not allowing any enemy to cross or take the
drift.
SYNOPSIS OF THE BOOK

8. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 8
• His resources include a company of 50 soldiers and NCOs with pers wpns and some axes,
picks and shovels.
• After Lieutenant Forethought begins thinking about his defensive plan, he falls asleep and
has several sequential dreams in which the enemy attacks and defeats his company.
• Each chapter is a dream in which a battle takes place. Lt Backsight Forethought, learns
several lessons in each dream and then applies them to the next dream.
• On awaking, he uses his new knowledge to successfully achieve his mission.
SYNOPSIS OF THE BOOK

9. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 9
■ ANT HILL : A large cone-shaped mound of earth.
■ BOER : Dutch and Huguenot population settled in SA in 17th century.
■ DONGA : South African gully or ravine.
■ DRIFT : A geographic location, A ford shallow place in a stream or river that can
be crossed by walking or riding on horseback.
■ KAFFIR : A fierce black tribe of South Africa (19th Century).
■ KOPJE : A rocky hill or butte of South Africa usually 200- 800 mtrs high.
■ KRAALS : A village of South African natives surrounded by a stockade protection.
■ STOCKADE : A barricade of felled trees with branches facing the enemy.
■ Table Mt : A flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the
city of Cape Town in South Africa.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS

10. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 10
• The Boer War (Afrikaans) or 'Second Freedom War’ Oct 1899 – May 1902.
• Boer War was fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics i.e. the
South African Republic and the Orange Free State.
• It was fought over the Empire's influence in Southern Africa from 1899 to 1902.
• Following the discovery of gold deposits in the Boer Republics, there was a large
influx of "foreigners", mostly British from the Cape Colony.
• Beor were not permitted to have a vote, and were regarded as "unwelcome visitors",
invaders, and they protested to the British authorities in the Cape.
BOERS WAR | 1899-1902

11. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 11
• Negotiations failed and, in the opening stages of the war.
• The Boers launched successful attacks against British outposts before being pushed
back by imperial reinforcements.
• Though the British swiftly occupied the Boer republics, numerous Boers refused to
accept defeat and engaged in guerrilla warfare.
• Eventually, British scorched earth policies, and the poor conditions suffered in
concentration camps by Boer women and children who had been displaced by these
policies, brought the remaining Boer guerillas to the negotiating table, ending the war
BOERS WAR | 1899-1902

12. 12
Duffer’s Drift | Landmarks
Kopje
Inciden-tamba Rocky Hill
Kraal Village
(Stockade Protected)
Waschout Hill
(gradually rising hill)
Sillia-Asvogel River
(only aval for wheeled tfc)
Drift
(ford foot Xing)
Table Mountain
Dutch Farm
under Kopje

13. 13
Duffer’s Drift | Landmarks
Kopje
Inciden-tamba Rocky Hill
Kraal Village
(Stockade Protected)
Waschout Hill
(gradually rising hill)
Sillia-Asvogel River
(only aval for wheeled tfc)
Drift
(ford foot Xing)
Table Mountain
Dutch Farm
under Kopje

14. 14
S I X D R E A M S
T h e D e f e n c e o f D u f f e r ’ s D r i f t
o f L t B a c k s i g h t F o r e t h o u g h t

15. 15
1 s t D R E A M
NO DEFENCE
T h e D e f e n c e o f D u f f e r ’ s D r i f t

16. In 1st dream Lt BF arr the loc with a
platoon (+) str and left prep of defs for
next day and conc as adm camp
16
1st DREAM | NO DEFENCE

17. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 17
• Lt Backsight Forethought (Lt BF) was given comd of a platoon (+) of 50xMen to hold
Duffer's Drift against hostile Boer tribe.
• Lt BF assumed it as a chance for fame and glory like fighting the Battle of Waterloo,
or Gettysburg, or Bull Run and with his intellect, he anticipated resolving the problem
before the first shot is fired.
• He choose shallow area of the river to defend, which can easily be crossed by sldrs
and horsemen with eqpt.
• He has no def plan or any idea to defend his AOR.
• He has several experienced NCOs, but he did not consult them to plan a potent
strategy to defend the area.
1st DREAM | NO DEFENCE

18. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 18
• He allowed local inhabitants to enter his camp to sell food, milk and butter.
• He has the fd eqpt to prepare defs but ordered to unload and let s the sldrs to
take rest and sleep.
• He detailed two gds on each post and allowed them to build bonfires to keep
them comfortable during sentry duty.
• After assigning guard duties, he went to sleep, planning to make def prep the
next day.
• Fortifications not prepared, and the sentries depicted their locs by bonfires at
duty locs and siting their tents besides, allowing the Boers to easily sneak up
and defeat the sleeping British Sldrs in their tents without resistance.
1st DREAM | NO DEFENCE

19. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 19
• Boers aslt during dark hrs and observing def / sentry locs due to bonfire and
noises after every 30 mins.
• Locals aid Boers by providing int from inside camp / defs.
• Boer convoy crossed drift / ford to avoid three side riverbanks.
• British tps got defeated due to unprepared defs and relax attitude towards
hostile Boers.
1st DREAM | OUTCOME

20. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 20
• Do not put off taking your measures of def till next day.
• Do not compromise on def measures against comfort of your men and settling down of
adm camp.
• Posn camp with ref to def layout.
• Do not allow stray civilians / locals in camp area.
• Do not trust natives for providing you commodities or food to you in the tac loc.
• Do not let your sentries advertise their posn by light or noise to hostile gps in en area.
• Do not remain in tents when bullets are ripping through; at such times, a hole in the gr
is worth many tents.
1st DREAM | LESSONS LEARNT

21. 21
2 N D D R E A M
C P T R E N C H
T h e D e f e n c e o f D u f f e r ’ s D r i f t

22. After 1st dream of no def and cas’ to Lt
BF’s Platoon, BF converted the locality
into def posn by digging square CP
Trench all around the camp
22
2nd DREAM | CP TRENCH

23. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 23
• Lt BF began his def prep imed & ordered to build a trench around the camp.
Some sldrs erected the tents and prep food.
• The trench was an unbroken square of 100 meters each side of 1-1/2 meter
deep with parapet or dirt mound of 1-/2 meter high in front of trench.
• Around their camp about 100 meters, scrub brush & vegetation gave natural
cover & clt.
• He also sent out two gps of listening / obsn posts. Sentries were placed out,
but now without bonfires to avoid detection by the en.
2nd DREAM | CP TRENCH

24. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 24
• During dusk Boers attacked the camp although they did not over run right
away, but they began to wear away at the British.
• Since the British tps used the cover of dirt mounds hence, to shoot down en
they had to break the cover resulting their heads shot off by Boers.
• Once Boers surrounded the square trenched camp from all sides, they were
able to shoot across the camp into the fronts and backs.
• Lt BF eventually gave up at dawn.
2nd DREAM | OUTCOME

25. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 25
• With modern rifles, to gd a drift or loc does not necessitate sitting on top of it
unless the loc is suitable to hold for other and def reasons.
• Defender must utilize the cover & clt intelligently, to keep en in clear field of fire
instead it is left to the advantage of en to be used against own defs.
• A non-bullet-proof parapet or visible serves merely to attract bullets instead of
keeping them out, the proof of thickness can be practically tested.
• When fired at by an en at close range from all round, a low parapet and shallow
trench are not of much of use, as the bullets do not hit the defenders on one
side hit those on another side.
2ND DREAM | LESSONS LEARNT

26. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 26
• It is not enough to keep strange men of the en’s breed away from your actual
defs, letting them go free to warn their friends of your whereabouts.
• It is not business to allow lazy men to sit and pick their teeth outside their
kraals whilst tired soldiers are breaking their hearts trying to do heavy labor in
short time.
• It is more the duty of a sldr to teach the lazy neutral the dignity of labor, and by
keeping him under gd to prevent his going away to talk about it.
2ND DREAM | LESSONS LEARNT

27. 27
3 R D D R E A M
LINEAR TRENCH
T h e D e f e n c e o f D u f f e r ’ s D r i f t

28. After 3RD dream defeat & cas’
Lt BF reorg and def the loc in the form
of linear trench against hostile Boers
28
3rd DREAM | LINEAR TRENCH

29. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 29
• After defeat from Boers, Lt BF decided to correct his previous mistakes by
sending a petrol to collect all the male villagers bring them inside camp.
• He also chose camp loc 800 meters south of the drift.
• He instr sldrs to dig a shallow linear trench of 50 meters long perpendicular to
the road orientated towards the drift.
• Next day a gp of Boers apch the camp. Female villagers were waiting for the
Boers and warned them of the British loc.
• Boers retreated out of rifle rg and began to shell the British tps with their arty,
3rd DREAM | LINEAR TRENCH

30. 30
Kopje
Inciden-tamba Rocky Hill
Kraal Village
(Stockade Protected)
Waschout Hill
(gradually rising hill)
Sillia-Asvogel River
(only aval for wheeled tfc)
Drift
(ford foot Xing)
Table Mountain
Dutch Farm
under Kopje
BF’s 50 Mtrs Linear Trench
BOER ARTY
BOER TPS
BOER TPS
BOER TPS
3rd DREAM | TAC DISPOSN

31. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 31
• Women villagers assisted Boers in locating British defs.
• Boers changed their attk plan and used their Arty from Incidetamba Hill.
• Due to BF’s perfectly linear trench defs, Boers corrected the range of their
Arty guns (posn at Incidetamba Hill) and dropped the shells right inside
shallow linear trench.
• Lt BF’s had no choice but to surrender with hy cas’.
3rd DREAM | OUTCOME

32. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 32
• With modern rifles, to gd a drift or loc does not necessitate sitting on top of it
unless the loc is suitable to hold for other and def reasons.
• Defender must utilize the cover & clt intelligently, to keep en in clear field of fire
instead it is left to the advantage of en to be used against own defs.
• A non-bullet-proof parapet or visible serves merely to attract bullets instead of
keeping them out, the proof of thickness can be practically tested.
• When fired at by an en at close range from all round, a low parapet and shallow
trench are not of much of use, as the bullets do not hit the defenders on one
side hit those on another side.
3rd DREAM | LESSONS LEARNT

33. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 33
• British tps must have same wpns as of Boers (having Arty guns).
• BF’s decision of collecting male villagers inside camp was not fruitful rather
assisted Boers to change their plan of Arty shelling.
• The trench gives the gunners an object to lay on and gives no protection from
shrapnel.
• Against well-aimed long-rg Arty fire, it would be better to scatter the defenders
in the open hidden in grass and bushes, or behind stones or ant hills, than to
keep them huddled in such a trench.
3rd DREAM | LESSONS LEARNT

34. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 34
• With your men scattered around, you can safely let the enemy fill your trench to
the brim with shrapnel bullets.
• To stop a shrapnel bullet much less actual thickness of earth is nec than to stop
a rifle bullet, yet this earth must be in the right place.
• To hollow out the bottom of the trench sides to give extra room will be even
better, because the open top of the trench can be kept the less wide.
• The more like a mere slit the open top of the trench is, the fewer the shrapnel
bullets will get in.
3rd DREAM | LESSONS LEARNT

35. 35
4 T H D R E A M
BROKEN TRENCH
T h e D e f e n c e o f D u f f e r ’ s D r i f t

36. 36
4th DREAM | TAC DISPOSN
Kopje
Inciden-tamba Rocky Hill
Kraal Village
(Stockade Protected)
Waschout Hill
(gradually rising hill)
Sillia-Asvogel River
(only aval for wheeled tfc)
Drift
(ford foot Xing)
Table Mountain
Dutch Farm
under Kopje
BF’s Broken Trench
BOER ARTY
BOER TPS
BOER TPS
BOER TPS

37. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 37
• 4th battle begun as had earlier but here BF made some changes and def work
started imed. BF chosen an area away from the drift that had a ravine.
• British tps improved the ravine (a deep, narrow gorge with steep sides) used
as def fighting posn (DFP) i.e. a type of earthwork const in a mil context, gen
large enough to accommodate anything from one soldier to a fire team (or
similar sized unit).
• BF sent OPs on nearby high grounds.
• Sent patrols to collect civilians from villages and allowed them to dig def
posns themselves.
4th DREAM | BROKEN TRENCH

38. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 38
• BF ordered his tps to cont improving DFPs throughout next day.
• When the en eventually showed they were unaware of British presence.
• However, 1800 mtrs away Boers noticed severe contrast between natural
earth and spoils of British DFPs.
• Boers placed some Arty on a nearby mountain and begub=n shelling over
British.
• Although Arty shelling did not harm British but kept their heads down to allo
Boers to get close to nearby vegetation to British trenches.
4th DREAM | OUTCOME

39. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 39
• Boers again utilized the cover to fire directly on British locs.
• Boers successfully mnvr around the trenches from the flanks and killed many
British.
• The British surrendered with hy cas’
4th DREAM | OUTCOME

40. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 40
• For a small isolated post and an active enemy, there are no flanks, no rear, or, to put
it otherwise, it is front all round.
• When placing and making your def, that when you are engaged in shooting the
enemy to the front of your trench, his pal cannot sneak up and shoot you in the back.
• Beware of being enfiladed. It is nasty from one flank - far worse from both flanks.
• There are few straight trenches that cannot be enfiladed from somewhere, if the
enemy can only get there.
• Do not have your trench near rising ground over which you cannot see, and which
you cannot hold.
4th DREAM | LESSON LEARNT

41. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 41
• Do not huddle all your men together in a small trench like sheep in a pen.
• Cover from sight is of often worth more than cover from bullets.
• For close shooting from a non-concealed trench, head cover with loopholes is
an advantage.
• To surprise the en is a great advantage. If you wish to obtain this advantage,
conceal your posn.
• To test the clt or otherwise of your posn, look at it from the enemy’s pt of view.
4th DREAM | LESSON LEARNT

42. 42
5 T H D R E A M
WASCHOUT HILL
T h e D e f e n c e o f D u f f e r ’ s D r i f t

43. After 4th dream defeat & lesson
learnt Lt BF decided to estb his posn at
Kaarl Village at the top of Waschout Hill to
have clear Fds of Fire / Obsns
43
5TH DREAM | WASCHOUT HILL

44. 44
5th DREAM | TAC DISPOSN
Kopje
Inciden-tamba Rocky Hill
Kraal Village
(Stockade Protected)
Waschout Hill
(gradually rising hill)
Sillia-Asvogel River
(only aval for wheeled tfc)
Drift
(ford foot Xing)
Table Mountain
Dutch Farm
under Kopje
BOER ARTY
BOER TPS
BOER TPS

45. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 45
• In 5th dream, Lt BF places his comd tent at the top od Waschout Hill. This
allowed clear him to observe the drift and all other areas of tac importance.
• He concealed his comd post between abandoned huts garbage stakes.
• He ordered containment of local inhabitants of Kaarl Village, so as to use
them as a work force and deny their ability to act as spies for Boers.
• Lt BF built a circle of trenches around allowing obsn and fire in every dir
against hostile Boers.
• He also sent several NCOs out to observe the posn from en’s perspective.
5th DREAM | WASCHOUT HILL

46. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 46
• On the info recd from his outposts, Lt BF noticed that even F of Fs and obsn are
clear from the trenches, but he can not shoot at the Drift or the rd below due to rg of
wpns.
• Lt BF decided to fire upon the main bodies as they pass through the narrow fire
window.
• He is forced to give up his posn as Boer Scouts ride up the hill and fired upon by the
British.
• Several Boer scouts were killed or wounded, but the main body rushes through to
the Drift and gets away.
• British inflict hy cas’ on the Boer but failed to stop their attack on to the posn.
5th DREAM | OUTCOME

47. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 47
• Beware of convex hills and dead gr, especially take care to have some place where
the en must come under your fire.
• Choose the exact posi of your firing trenches, with your eye at the lvl of the men who
will eventually use them.
• A hill may not, after all, though it has "comd," necessarily be the best place to hold.
• A conspicuous "bluff" trench may cause the en to waste much ammo and draw fire
away from the actual defs.
• Instead of sleep with un-prep defs, we must improve our defs against possible attks.
• Dominating posn must not compromise wpn rgs to tgt particular area of attacking en.
5th DREAM | LESSON LEARNT

48. 48
6 T H D R E A M
R I V E R B E D
T h e D e f e n c e o f D u f f e r ’ s D r i f t

49. The 6th and last dream Lt BF reviewed all
lessons learnt and dev different strategy to
defeat the Boers and to make
The Def of Duffer’s Drift
A Success
49
6TH DREAM | RIVERBED

50. 50
6th DREAM | TAC DISPOSN
Kraal Village
(Stockade Protected)
Waschout Hill
(gradually rising hill)
Sillia-Asvogel River
(only aval for wheeled tfc)
Drift
(ford foot Xing)
British Def Layout on
the Banks

51. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 51
• After sending out the patrols, and placing a gd on Waschout Hill, and stores
were being collected, Lt BF considered deeply what position should take up.
• He walked up to the top of Waschout Hill to spy out the land. On the top he
found a Kaffir Kraal Village, which he saw would assist him much as
concealment should he decide to hold this hill.
• But after a few mins’ by trial of the shape of the gr, with the help of some men
walking down below, Lt BF found that its convexity was to see and fire on the
Drift and the apch on the south side, he should have to abandon the top of the
hill.
• Friendly clt of the Kaffir huts and take up a posn on the open hillside some
way down.
6th DREAM | RIVERBED

52. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 52
• This idea was to hold the riverbed and banks on each side of the Drift.
• I resisted, struggled, but finally fell to temptation, dressed up in the plausible
guise of reason.
• The advantages to hold the riverbed were:
• Perfect cvr and clt from sight.
• Trenches and protection against both rifle and gunfire practically ready
made.
• Comm under good cover.
• The en would be out in the open veld except along the Riverbank, where
we, being in posn first, would still have the advantage.
• Plentiful water supply at hand.
6th DREAM | RIVERBED

53. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 53
• Under cover of the dark, the en came up to 600 meters in open veld on the
north and round the edges of Waschout Hill on the south, and kept up a
furious fire, probably to distract our attn.
• Boer guns shelled British for about an hour. As soon as the gunfire ceased,
they tried to rush British along the Riverbed East & West but owing to the
abatis and the holes in the gr, Boers were unsuccessful.
• Few Boers did succeed in getting into our posn, only to be bayoneted. Luckily
the en did not know our str/
• Next morning, with so many men out of British original 40 out of action (not to
incl Waschout Hill detachment) matters seemed to be serious.
6th DREAM | OUTCOME

54. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 54
• Twenty-two lessons, concluded to finally hold the Riverbed close to Drift.
• Trenches so placed to cover dead gr.
• Decentralized comd entrusted to experienced NCOs.
• Best use of natural cover by British.
• BF’s extensive deception worked, and Boers surprised and lost.
• The tps were able to hold the drift.
• Casualities
• Brits : 11 Killed & 15 Wounded
• Boers : 30-40 Killed
• The next day British rft come and Lt BF’s tps were relieved
6th DREAM | OUTCOME

55. 55
C O N C L U S I O N
T h e D e f e n c e o f D u f f e r ’ s D r i f t

56. The Defence of Duffer’s Drift 56
• The author had endeavored to teach jnr ldrs valuable tac lessons for small unit
tactics in a classic mil text.
• In the story, Lt BF made two maj mistakes led to defeat in the 5 dreams.
• Firstly : he did not use his experienced NCOs in prep of def posn, planning
and exec of every mission.
• Secondly : absence of any plan to defend the drift
• The author made a well thought out plan utilizing small unit tactics in def ops.
• Author tried to trach 22 lessons learnt in 5 dreams to finally overcome the
mistakes and finally succeed in defending the duffer’s drift
• The lessons discussed in the ambient of Platoon Lvl Trg and lure-in the jnr ldrs to
understand the tactics of small unit related to gr and aprc the own, en and ctr
measures.
CONCL

57. THANKS
making it legal