Palmietfontein was a farm 20 km west of Petrus Steyn and it was here on 19 July 1900 that the rear-guard of Boer General de Wet’s commando was attacked by the British force under the command of General Broadwood.
At the same time Colonel Little engaged the main convoy of de Wet further south on the Kroonstad / Lindley road. Both engagements lasted the whole day with the Boers managing to repulse the attack just before dusk.
Quoting from official records ‘the 3rd Cavalry Brigade under Little and Broadwood, operating in tandem, but failing to maintain communication, were outwitted by the Boer Intelligence Scouts of Theron and Scheepers’.
The British casualties in both engagements numbered 35, amongst these was the death of Major H.G. Moor of the West Australian Mounted Infantry. The Boer casualties numbered 15 with Field Cornet Strydom being killed in action.
