On 25 February 1902, Lieutenant-Colonel Anderson who was in command of a convoy being escorted by units of the Imperial Yeomanry, Northumberland Fusiliers, South Wales Borderers and the South Staffordshires, decided to bivouac on a farm called Yzerspruit.
Yzerspruit was 30 km from Klerksdorp – where the convoy was ultimately headed. At the time the convoy was empty.
The Boers under de la Rey attacked the convoy and were driven off.
However, on the third attempt, after considerable casualties, the British surrendered. British losses were 187 men killed or wounded, 60 of them from the Yeomanry, 170 horses, as well as rifles and ammunition. Boer losses were 50 men killed or wounded
