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  3 JULY 1901 - ELANDSKLOOF

  By archie777 · Posted 3 minutes ago

  On 2 July 1901 Colonel Benson received information at Machadodorp that detachments of the Lydenburg and Middelburg Commandos were in laager on the farm Vlakfontein, some 11km north west of the town.   His column left Machadodorp in the early hours of 3 July, but the track followed turned out to be longer and more difficult than anticipated and he only arrived at about 8:00, too late for a surprise attack.   The Boers were seen moving northwards towards Elandskloof and for the next 7 hours pursuit and search operations were carried out. At about 15:00 two detachments of F Squadron, Scottish Horse were sent ahead to search two adjoining valleys.   One detachment of 26 men under Major Murray was suddenly attacked by some 60 Boers but held their own for some 45 minutes until relieved by E Squadron, Scottish Horse. In this sharp and very close fight British losses were 3 men killed and 9 wounded. On the Boer side 4 men were definitely killed with another 3  men as possible.   Lt English won the Victoria Cross for running between his men’s positions under heavy fire at point blank range, supplying them with more ammunition.
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  26 JUNE 1901 - BRUGSPRUIT

  By archie777 · Posted 14 minutes ago

  At 9pm on 26 June Gen Ben Viljoen’s commando attempted to cross the railway line near Brugspruit by simultaneously attacking the blockhouses at Kilo 370½ and Kilo 372. The attack on the Kilo 370½ blockhouse, which was defended by 14 men of “The Buffs”, was repulsed after a hotly contested half-hour engagement.  However, the Kilo 372 blockhouse, garrisoned by 7 men of “The Buffs”, was taken by the Boers. Viljoen, in his memoirs, states that his Field Cornet Myburgh was killed by a shot that went off as the surrendering soldiers threw out their rifles.   Viljoen proceeded to pass across his main body, guns and convoy under a heavy fire. The operation was barely half completed when an armoured train appeared on the scene.Turning on its searchlights, it wreaked havoc among the Boers with shrapnel and Maxim bullets, thereby ending the crossing attempt.   Eventually Viljoen, with half of the commando, ended up north of the line and his 2 Commandants south of the line with the other half of the commando.
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  25 JUNE 1901 - DEFENCE OF RICHMOND

  By archie777 · Posted 24 minutes ago

  On 25 June 1901, the small town of Richmond, defended by a detachment of the 4th Battalion North Staffordshire Regt and the Richmond Town Guard, was attacked by a superior Boer force under Gen Wynand Malan and Commandant Smith.   A number of small forts on kopjes overlooking the town were overrun. The Boer tactics were to keep a continuous fire on the loopholes of a fort while a number of them stormed the fort and were safe below the loopholes that were too highly positioned.   They then threatened to toss in dynamite, leading to the surrender of the defenders. Eventually only the heavily fortified jail and the so-called “Flag Hill Fort” remained unconquered. At dusk word reached Malan that a strong British force was nearing Richmond and in the evening the Boers withdrew.   British losses were 6 killed and 8 wounded, while on the Boer side there were only a number of wounded burghers.
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  12 JUNE 1901 - WILMANSRUST

  By archie777 · Posted 31 minutes ago

  On this date the left wing of the 5th Victorian Mounted Rifles (Squadrons E, F, G, and H) encamped at Wilmansrust farm, between Middelburg and Ermelo. This location was noted later as being dominated by three nearby koppies (hills) and not easy to defend.   The security of the encampment was entrusted to four widely spaced outposts.This was “in accordance with Indian Cavalry practice” as the camp C/O, Major Morris of the RFA had recently arrived in South Africa from India. No standing patrols were ordered between outposts and there was no inner picket line. Trouble hit at 7.45pm when Gen Muller and some 150 men, guided by the farm owner, sneaked past the sentries without being challenged. Inexcusably, the VMR men did not have their rifles at hand, confusion reigned supreme and panic quickly spread.   The whole camp was over-run in minutes. The price was reportedly 22 KiA (including a Boer “hensopper” summarily executed), 42 WiA and the remainder either briefly captured or escaped the scene. The 5th VMR captives were abandoned as the Burghers made off with the very considerable spoils, including food, ammunition and the two pom-poms.   Unfortunately, the defeat at Wilmansrust caused Gen Beatson to describe the 5th VMR; the “Fateful Fifth”, in terms which included “wasters… In my opinion they are a lot of white-livered curs”. This resulted in rebellious conduct by several rank-and-file: subsequent Court Martial sentenced 4 men to be shot, later reduced to 10 years hard labour and finally quashed by Kitchener.  The inevitable Court of Enquiry on the action itself found the camp commander, Maj. Morris, responsible for the defeat. Gen. Beatson was later transferred back to India after only serving six months of his secondment.
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  10 JUNE 1901 - LEEUWKOP

  By archie777 · Posted 44 minutes ago

  “The Inspector General wishes to place on record the very commendable piece of work performed by sections of A, B and D Troops of the Reserve Depot under the orders of Captain Scriven on the 10th, 11th and 12th Inst. This force had been detailed to sieze and occupy Leeuwkop and neighbouring koppies (8 miles NW of the Dynamite Factory) during the night and then to demonstrate against the enemy northward to cover Capt Adye’s troop during its work of entrenching itself on Leeuwkop. These duties were most ably carried out. On each of the three days Capt Scriven’s parties, working over a wide area, but in perfect combination, were engaged with the enemy, always with success. They captured wagons and cattle… The enemy were in superior numbers, at about 2 to 1. In this work the following Officers, NCO’s and men especially distinguished themselves: Lieutenants MacNaughton and Bourne No 198 Reserve Depot Trooper H Lord (wounded)…” SA Constabulary Circular Memo No 44.