11 DECEMBER 1900 - LANCASTER HILL, VRYHEID

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The 2nd Battalion Royal Lancaster Regt served in South Africa from December 1899 to May 1902. In October 1900 they became the garrison at Vryheid with a strength about 900, and were based at what was thence known as Lancaster Hill.

 

At about 2am on 11 December some 1200 Boers attacked the hill from the north. The defenders fought hard but were nearly overwhelmed and when Lt-Col. Gawne led reinforcements out of the town he was mortally wounded.

 

The Boer advance was eventually stopped by heavy defensive fire and the barbed wire at the top of the hill.

British casualties were 8 killed, 20 wounded and 30 taken prisoner.
On the Boer side it would seem that 2 men were killed, with an unknown number wounded.

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