by Allan Gordon | May 31, 2020 | Events, South African War 1899 - 1902
After crossing the Vaal River into the old Transvaal Republic the British objective was to capture Johannesburg. On 30 May the Boers were defeated at the Battle of Doornkop in the western suburbs of Johannesburg. The Boers were also forced to retreat from the town of...
by Allan Gordon | May 31, 2020 | Battles, South African War 1899 - 1902
After the fall of Kroonstad, Lindley became the seat of the Free State Government, however, the town changed hands a few times, between Boers and British, during the month of May 1900. At the end of May 1900, the Boers under General Piet de Wet occupied Lindley...
by Allan Gordon | May 28, 2020 | Battles, South African War 1899 - 1902
Kheis was a farm in the Northern Cape (close to the present day town of Groblershoop) on the banks of the Orange River. During the early months of 1900 the Free State Boers were active in the area recruiting rebels to take up arms against the British. The British...
by Allan Gordon | May 26, 2020 | Anniversaries, Birthday, South African War 1899 - 1902
Major-General Frederick Walter Kitchener was born on 26 May 1858, eight years after his more famous brother, Herbert. Better known as Walter, he took part in the Relief of Ladysmith. During the guerrilla phase of the war he commanded troops in the Western Transvaal...
by Allan Gordon | May 25, 2020 | Battles, South African War 1899 - 1902
Mooifontein was a farm almost mid-way between Bethal and Standerton. Commandants Ben Viljoen and Mears decided to attack a British convoy, commanded by General Plummer, which was on its way from Bethal to Standerton. The convoy comprising wagons and cattle, was...
by Allan Gordon | May 24, 2020 | Birthday, South African War 1899 - 1902
Field Marshall Jan Smuts was born on 24 May 1870. As was custom in his youth, due to circumstances, he only started school at the age of 12. This late start was not to deter him and he graduated from both Stellenbosch and Cambridge Universities with Honours. One of...
