20 AUGUST 1900 - KLIPDRIFT

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“Paget in the afternoon followed the enemy along the northern road east of the railway, leaving half a battalion of the West Riding regiment and two guns at Hamanskraal. Baden-Powell’s force was on the right across the Pienaar’s river.

 

Two squadrons of the Rhodesia regiment which covered his advance came suddenly upon a party of 100 mounted Boers of the Waterberg commando, which had been detailed by Steenkamp to work round Paget’s right flank.

 

Both sides alike were completely surprised. A fight ensued, in which the Rhodesia regiment lost one officer and four men killed, and two officers and six men wounded. Upon reinforcements… the enemy were driven off, losing nine killed and ten wounded”.
Official History, Vol III, p366-7.

“After Elands River, the Rhodesian Regiment and Volunteers operated east of Rustenburg for a further short period before being disbanded in November 1900, but sadly not before five men of the Rhodesia Regiment were killed in action at Klipdrift.

On 20 August 1900, Lt Colonel John Spreckley of ‘E’ Squadron and his party were surrounded by Boers, who, being dressed in khaki, were first taken for friends.

 

When the mistake was discovered and Spreckley and his party were called upon to surrender, he replied, “Never give in to them, lads” and was immediately killed. By his death, Rhodesia lost one of its best-known and most popular men.” 
AngloBoerWar.com