by Allan Gordon | Apr 4, 2020 | Anniversaries, South African War 1899 - 1902
Gideon Scheepers was born on 4 April 1878 and started his military career with the Staats Artillery as a heliograph signaller. At the start of the South African War he was seconded to Commandant de Wet and saw action at the Siege of Kimberley. He then served with...
by Allan Gordon | Apr 3, 2020 | Battles, South African War 1899 - 1902
Reddersburg is a town 60 km south of Bloemfontein. Commandant Christiaan de Wet, with his spoils from Sanna’s Post, was moving southwards. On 2 April 1900, 600 troops of the Royal Irish Rifles left Dewetsdorp, bound for Reddersburg. The following morning (3...
by Allan Gordon | Apr 2, 2020 | Anniversaries, South African War 1899 - 1902
Denys Reitz was born on 2 April 1882 and was 17 years old when the South African War broke out. Initially he was considered too young to take up arms, but with the blessing of his father and President Kruger, he was sent to the Natal front, where under...
by Allan Gordon | Apr 1, 2020 | Battles, South African War 1899 - 1902
This battle is also referred to as the Battle of Boschmanskop due to the fact that the British who initiated the attack on the Boers, were based at the farm Boschmanskop. The British force under Lieutenant-Colonel Fanshawe, led by some National Scouts surprised a Boer...
by Allan Gordon | Mar 31, 2020 | Battles, South African War 1899 - 1902
This battle is also referred to as the Battle of Koorn Spruit as well as Korn Spruit – the wording in the citations relating to the VC’s awarded at the battle. The Boers were demoralised following the surrender of Commandant Cronje at Paardeberg, and...
by Allan Gordon | Mar 30, 2020 | Anniversaries, South African War 1899 - 1902
On 30 March 1901 a Boer Commando was surprised by Colonel Campbell’s column at De Kraalen’s Drift which crossed the Assegaai river, south-east of Piet Retief. Twenty prisoners were taken, together with seven wagons and a large number of cattle.
