by Allan Gordon | Jun 8, 2020 | Battles, South African War 1899 - 1902
Botha’s Pass, about 25 km north west of Newcastle, was named after Commandant-General Botha’s grandfather who had farmed in the area. General Buller, who was making his way with his force to the Eastern Transvaal (now Mpumalanga) surprised the Boer Commandos...
by Allan Gordon | Jun 7, 2020 | Battles, South African War 1899 - 1902
Boer Commandant de Wet, who was active in the Northern Free State, decided to split his force into three and to attack three British positions on 7 June 1900. All three positions were stations on the Bloemfontein-Vereeniging railway line, south west of the current...
by Allan Gordon | Jun 7, 2020 | Events, South African War 1899 - 1902
After the fall of Pretoria on 5 June 1900, without a shot being fired, Boer Commandant-General (Transvaal) Louis Botha, on 7 June 1900, called a meeting of all his senior officers. In addition to getting buy-in from all to carry on with the war, it was to plan a line...
by Allan Gordon | Jun 6, 2020 | Anniversaries, South African War 1899 - 1902
Commandant Kritzinger and his commando were surprised early in the morning of 6 June 1901 by Lieutenant-Colonel Lukin’s column. Most of the men were still asleep when the attack commenced. Kritzinger and some of his men managed to escape on foot. The British killed...
by Allan Gordon | Jun 6, 2020 | Anniversaries, Battles, South African War 1899 - 1902
Graspan was a farm in the Free State, about 20 km east of the town of Reitz. During the day of 6 June 1901 a Boer convoy was discovered by the South Australian Busmen column under the command of Major Sladen. The resulting engagement resulted in most of the Boer...
by Allan Gordon | Jun 6, 2020 | Anniversaries, Deaths, South African War 1899 - 1902
Lieutenant-Colonel Byng died on 6 June 1935 aged 72. On his arrival in South Africa in 1899 he was tasked with raising and commanding the South African Light Horse. He successfully commanded various columns during the course of the war and was mentioned in...
