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  Real eBay Items

  By VtwinVince · Posted 48 minutes ago

  Yup, and I think that was a pretty good deal.
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  29 MAY 1901 - VLAKFONTEIN

  By archie777 · Posted 57 minutes ago

  During the guerrilla phase of the War, while Lord Methuen pursued General Koos de la Rey in the southern part of the Western Transvaal, General Jan Kemp, based at Tafelkop near the Koster/ Lichtenburg road, was active in the Swartruggens area.   This threatened Brigadier General H.G. Dixon who was encamped at Naauwpoort in the Magaliesberg.    On 26 May 1901 Dixon set out with a force of some 450 men to clear farms and search for hidden guns and ammunition west of Naauwpoort on the farm Waterval near Vlakfontein, in the vicinity of present-day Derby. Dixon’s force marched in 3 columns led by Major Chance R.A. on the left, Colonel Wylly in the centre and Lt-Colonel Duff on the right.   General Jan Kemp, laagered at Waterval northeast of Krugersdorp, initially had 400 burghers, including his scouts, some members of the Staatsartillerie (without their guns) and men from the Krugersdorp, Pretoria and the Rustenburg commandos.   They had buried some of their remaining guns to have artillery available when required, but also to provide unhampered mobility to commandos.   On 29 May Dixon’s men set out to recover these guns. Their search revealed no guns, but a large cache of ammunition was discovered. In this search the British came under sniper fire on Duff’s Ridge and the heavy fire from Kemp’s burghers.   When the British attempted to arrange their defence, Kemp’s men under cover of the smoke from a fire they had started, charged Chance’s rear-guard Yeomanry with (now) 500 burghers.  The Yeomanry suffered heavy casualties and the Boers overran the 2 guns of the 28th battery.  Dixon ordered Duff to reinforce Chance, who had returned to the scene of action with men of the 1st Derbyshire Regiment.   On Chance’s Ridge the Derbys, and what remained of the Yeomanry, charged the Boers with fixed bayonets. The Boers galloped off and the British retrieved their guns. The British suffered heavy casualties (6 officers and 51 other ranks dead) while only 7 burghers died in the battle and 2 later from wounds.   Kemp’s new strategy of lightning strikes behind a smoke screen had been effective.
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  27 MAY 1901 - OSPOORT

  By archie777 · Posted 1 hour ago

  In the last week of May 1901, the 9th Lancers were operating in a sweep south-east of Edenburg and they were ambushed on 27 May. “A” and “D” Squadrons were farm clearing, and as “A” would eventually have to get over the neck in the hills overlooking Ospoort, the emergency squadron (“C”) was sent to support them.   While the clearing was going on Lieut Stirling was sent with his troop to occupy the neck, covered by the pom-pom. The three advanced points were allowed to go right through the neck and the remainder of the troop to get right underneath the kopjes, some already having dismounted, when there was a shout of “Hands up!” followed by heavy firing, as Stirling shouted “Files about!”.   The men all took what little cover they could find, while reinforcements were sent up on both flanks. The pom-pom getting to work effectually cleared the kopjes, and Lieut Kincaid-Smith, who had been sent up to the right, saw some 200 Boers going away north, besides a certain number leaving the different parts of the kopjes.   The casualties all belonged to “C” Squadron: 1 man was killed, 4 were wounded and subsequently died of wounds and 3 were wounded.  “Diary of the 9th Lancers”, p215.
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  23 MAY 1901 - RIETFONTEIN / WITPOORTJIE

  By archie777 · Posted 1 hour ago

  Nothing of importance occurred during the rest of May except an attack on a Potchefstroom – Ventersdorp convoy on the 23rd. The attack, which was twice repeated, was of a determined nature, and the convoy was surrounded and all but taken as it came within sight of Ventersdorp.   The Boers were kept off, however, by the  stubborn defence of the escort, under Major P. Palmes (Royal North Lancashire) and Captain E. C. Purchas (South Wales Borderers), and by a gun which the Commandant at Ventersdorp, Major J. H. du B. Travers (South Wales Borderers), took out from the village with what men he had some twenty in all - and the convoy barely escaped with the loss of six killed and thirty-one wounded amongst the escort. “History of the War in South Africa 1899-1902” Vol IV, p183.
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  23 MAY 1901 - NAROEGAS

  By archie777 · Posted 1 hour ago

  “Yesterday at Naroegas 2½ hours north this Patrol of 60 Border Scouts were attacked at 9am by 94 Rebels.    Engagement lasted until 3pm when enemy retired and ceased firing… Rebel losses 15 dead counted. 5 known to be wounded. Commandant Jan Nel severely (wounded and) left behind. One Jacobs rebel from Kakamas brought in.   Others left behind. Jooste of Kakamas also prisoner. Many rebel horses killed. 1 saddle, 2 horses, arms and ammunition (explosive) brought in. Explosive ammunition freely used by rebels. Our losses one man wounded. By accident 7 horses killed. Officers and men of Border Scouts fought with great bravery.”   Telegram: Acting Resident Magistrate, Kenhardt, to Lex (Law Department) Cape Town, 24/05/1901. “Shortly after he (Conroy) took command, he decided to attack Kenhardt. While he was making ready for this with about 170 men al Dwaalgees, 12 miles north-west of Kenhardt, he learnt that an English patrol was waiting for him at Naroegas on the Keimoes road.   P. Gresse and Christiaan Emmenis went to investigate and observed about six saddled horses on the farm. Without further scouting of the terrain, Conroy sent 28 horsemen to catch the ‘kakies’.   While they were riding unsuspiciously in the ‘sandloop’ (sandy riverbed) to the farm they were unexpectedly put under a murderous crossfire from the ridges by the Basters of Captain Ramsbottom and Lieutenant McCloud.   Those who could sought shelter behind meagre rocks and bushes outside the ‘sandloop’, where they had to endure the accurate fire of the Border Scouts for the whole day in the scorching heat.   Only when it became dark could Henry Wickens risk taking a report to Conroy at Dwaalgees. Reinforcements were hastily sent to the scene of the disaster, but the coloureds had already left the ridges and were on their way to Kenhardt.   Almost all the horses fell in the battle. A number of burghers (Emmenis and Willem Walton) were dead. Jacobus Bonthuys and Kootjie Knouwds were seriously wounded but escaped with the help of friends and could join the commando later.   H L Jacobs who was wounded in the foot and A.C. Jooste who surrendered to the enemy were taken as prisoners to Kenhardt.   The claim that wounded Boers were killed with stones after the battle cannot be substantiated.” Translated extract from History of Kenhardt compiled by W A Burger in 1952.