On 24 March 1901 de la Rey’s Commando was engaged by General Babbington’s column at Wildfontein, a farm 20 km East of Coligny.
De la Rey was forced to abandon his laager, a huge loss that included two ’15 pounders’, one of which was captured at Colenso and the other from Stormberg, one Pom-Pom, six Maxims, 320 rounds of 15 pounder ammunition and 77 wagons.
This engagement commenced the day before when Lord Methuen’s column caught up with rear of Commandant de Wet’s column at Taaiboschspruit. Methuen’s column, being too tired to carry on with the pursuit of the Boers, left further pursuit to General Babbington, who caught up with de la Rey on the following day.
