by Allan Gordon | Jan 22, 2020 | Battles, On This Day
The Battle (or Defence) of Rorke’s Drift, followed immediately after the British Army’s ignominious defeat at the Battle of Isandlwana. It started in the afternoon of 22 January 1879, continuing overnight to early the following day, 23 January. The defence...
by Allan Gordon | Jan 21, 2020 | Deaths, On This Day
Lieutenant-General Charles Warren was a very interesting man in that he was one of the earliest European archaeologists of the Biblical Holy Land, and particularly of the Temple Mount. As a soldier, much of his military service was spent in South Africa. In 1884,...
by Allan Gordon | Jan 20, 2020 | Birthday, On This Day
Commandant-General Piet Joubert was born on 20 January 1834. In addition to being a fine soldier, he was a ‘self-taught’ lawyer and gained a reputation as an excellent attorney. When the First Boer War broke out, he was put in charge of the Boer forces and achieved...
by Allan Gordon | Jan 19, 2020 | Birthday, On This Day
Lieutenant-Colonel A.W. Thorneycroft was born on 19 January 1859 and served in the Anglo-Zulu War and in the First Boer War of 1881, where he took part in the defence of Pretoria. Thorneycroft was one of several officers sent to South Africa in 1899 to raise volunteer...
by Patrick Armstrong | Jan 16, 2020 | Battles, On This Day
South African War: Skirmish at Acton Homes, Natal – Northern Tugela Prior to the Battle of Spioen Kop (23 / 24 January 1900) General Buller inexplicably delegated to General Warren the responsibility for the main British attack on the Boer positions in the hills...
