by Allan Gordon | Sep 11, 2020 | Anniversaries, Events, South African War 1899 - 1902
On 11 September 1900, following the Boer defeat at the Battle of Bergendal, President Kruger left South Africa for Europe. The Boers didn’t want Kruger to fall into the hands of the British and they felt that his presence in Europe would help gain support for the Boer...
by Allan Gordon | Sep 11, 2020 | Anniversaries, Deaths, South African War 1899 - 1902
Jan Christian Smuts, a Commandant-General in the South African War (1899-1902), who was eventually promoted to the rank of Field Marshall, died on 11 September 1950. He was featured in our May Newsletter, but in summary he was a South African statesman, military...
by Allan Gordon | Sep 8, 2020 | Anniversaries, Birthday, South African War 1899 - 1902
Lieutenant Teignmouth Melvill was born on 8 September 1842 and was educated at Harrow and Cambridge. He was a 36 year old Lieutenant at the Massacre at Isandlwana. In the effort to save the Regiment’s colours, he and Lieutenant Coghill were killed by the...
by Allan Gordon | Sep 7, 2020 | Birthday, South African War 1899 - 1902
Lieutenant-General Archibald Hunter was born on 6 September 1856 and began his military education in Glasgow before enrolling at the Military College at Sandhurst. At the outbreak of the South African War (1899-1902) he was on the staff of Sir George White’s...
by Allan Gordon | Sep 7, 2020 | Anniversaries, Birthday, South African War 1899 - 1902
General Benjamin Johannes (Ben) Viljoen was born on 7 September 1869 in the Cape Colony and spent the latter part of his youth on a farm near Umtata in the Eastern Cape. In 1890 he moved to the Transvaal and as part of the Krugersdorp Commando saw ‘action’ against the...
by Allan Gordon | Sep 5, 2020 | Battles, South African War 1899 - 1902
Groen Kloof was a farm about 25 km east of Graff Reinet in the Eastern Cape. On 5 September 1901 Boer Commandant Lotter and his commando, who had camped on the farm, were surprised by a British force commanded by Colonel Scobell in the early hours of the morning. The...
by Allan Gordon | Sep 1, 2020 | Anniversaries, Birthday, South African War 1899 - 1902
Paul Sanford Methuen was born on 1 September 1845 and was educated at Eton College. At the outbreak of the South African War (1899-1902) he was appointed General Officer Commanding the 1st Division, responsible for the Relief of Kimberley. Having fought the battles at...
by Allan Gordon | Aug 31, 2020 | Battles, South African War 1899 - 1902
Quaggafontein was a farm about 15 km south of Rustenburg. On 31 August 1900 the British Cavalry Brigade under the command of Colonel Little were escorting a supply commando when they were attacked by Boers under the command of General de la Rey. The British attacked...
by Allan Gordon | Aug 27, 2020 | Anniversaries, Deaths, South African War 1899 - 1902
General Louis Botha died of heart failure at his home following an attack of Spanish influenza on 27 August 1919. He was 56. Winston Churchill paid the following tribute to General Botha – “The three most famous generals I have known in my life won no...
by Allan Gordon | Aug 27, 2020 | Battles, South African War 1899 - 1902
On 27 August 1900, the Battle of Bergendal, described by most historians as the last set piece battle of the South African War, was fought. Bergendal was a farm 5 km from Belfast, on the way to Machadadorp. General Buller’s Natal Force had finally met up with Lord...
