by Patrick Armstrong | Feb 5, 2020 | Activities, On This Day, South African War 1899 - 1902
Guided by National Scouts, part of Colonels Kekewich and Hickie’s force, consisting of 634 men with a pom-pom, under Major H.P. Leader, surprised a laager of Commandant Sarel Alberts at Gruisfontein, 24 km east of Lichtenburg. The Boers’ losses were eight men...
by Allan Gordon | Feb 4, 2020 | Anniversaries, South African War 1899 - 1902
Piet Cronje died on 4 February 1911, aged 74. He was a general in both the Anglo-Boer War, 1880–1881 and the South African War, 1899–1902. He was also in command of the force that rounded up the Jameson raiders at Doornkop on 2 January 1896. He was defeated at the...
by Allan Gordon | Feb 3, 2020 | Anniversaries, South African War 1899 - 1902
Christiaan de Wet died on 3 February 1922, aged 67. He fought in the first Anglo-Boer War, 1880-1881 and was present at the Battle of Majuba. In the South African War 1899-1902 he saw action, initially in Natal, before moving to the Northern Cape. Early in 1900 he was...
by Allan Gordon | Feb 2, 2020 | On This Day, South African War 1899 - 1902
Late in 1900 the British Major-General moved his headquarters in the Central Cape District from De Aar to Beaufort West due to the Boer activity in the area. In January 1902 the town of Fraserburg became the objective of the Boer Generals Smuts and Malan. To combat...
by Allan Gordon | Jan 31, 2020 | Anglo Zulu War, Anniversaries
Samuel Wassall, who was awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery at the Battle of Isandlwana, died on 31 January 1927. He was a private in the 80th Regiment of Foot during the Anglo-Zulu War and also saw action in the Battle of Hlobane. During the Battle of...
by Allan Gordon | Jan 30, 2020 | Battles, Events, South African War 1899 - 1902
On 29 January 1901, Captain H.G. Casson, who was camped on the farm Modderfontein in the area of Westonaria, received a large convoy of supplies. The convoy was accompanied by reinforcements from Marshall’s Horse. The farm was in the Gatsrand range of mountains....
by Patrick Armstrong | Jan 28, 2020 | Battles, First Anglo Boer War
The First Anglo-Boer War was fought from 16 December 1880 until 23 March 1881 between Britain and the Boers of the Transvaal. The Battle of Laing’s Nek was the first battle. The British Natal Field Force, commanded by General Colley, comprised of 1 216 officers and...
by Allan Gordon | Jan 25, 2020 | Anglo Zulu War, Birthday, On This Day
Lieutenant Neville Josiah Aylmer Coghill was born in Dublin on 25 January 1852. On 22 January 1879, after the disaster of the Battle of Isandhlwana, Lieutenant Coghill joined another officer, Lietenant T. Melvill in trying to savethe Queen’s Colour of the...
by Patrick Armstrong | Jan 24, 2020 | Battles, On This Day
Following his failure to relieve Ladysmith at the Battle of Colenso, General Buller’s next attempt was to approach the besieged town using Springfield village as a concentration area. While delegating this task to his second-in-command, General Warren, Buller...
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...
