With Rifle and Bayonet: A Story of the Boer War

In the quiet village of Redford, Surrey, the uneasy marriage of Captain Charles Somerton and his proud wife Julia unfolds around the petty quarrels of their two boys. Their arguments over a broken china plate reveal deeper concerns about discipline, affection, and the clash of personalities within a household that strives to keep peace while the world beyond grows restless. As the summer fades, the captain receives orders that will pull him away from the domestic drama and thrust him into the distant, unforgiving landscape of South Africa.

The novel follows Somerton’s journey from the genteel drawing‑rooms of England to the rugged battlefields of the Boer War, offering a vivid portrait of a soldier torn between duty and family. Through his eyes the reader encounters the harsh realities of colonial conflict, the camaraderie and fear of the front line, and the lingering question of how war reshapes the values held at home. The story balances intimate domestic scenes with the larger sweep of history, inviting listeners to consider the personal cost of empire.