The Joyous Patriot

Ralph Verney was born in 1879. His grandfather, Sir Harry Verne, had married as his second wife, Parthenope, Sister of Florence Nightingale, who was Ralph's Godmother. In 1900 he joined the Riffle Brigade and was sent to South Africa where the Boer War was then in progress. A dutiful son, he wrote regularly to his parents, describing every detail of his daily life. Fortunately these letters have survived and have now been edited for publication by Ralph's own son, David. Quite apart from the int