4 JULY 1901 - NABOOMSPRUIT

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The 107 Down train left Naboomspruit for Pietersburg at 3:15pm on 4 July, carrying an escort of 29 (of which 22 were Gordon Highlanders under Lt A A D Best), in an open truck. On reaching Kilo 176½ it was derailed by an explosion of a Boer dynamite mine which destroyed 10 inches of rail.

 

The train immediately came under heavy fire from the 150 Boers manning the ambush. Lt Best and 13 of his men as well as the guard of the train were killed and 8 of the Gordons were wounded after putting up a valiant fight.

On 10 August Lord Kitchener cabled His Majesty, the King: 
As Colonel-in-Chief of the Gordon Highlanders Your Majesty may be pleased to know that Commandant de Villiers who was present and who has just surrendered, informs me that at the attack on the train on 4th July at Naboomspruit the guard of Gordon Highlanders under Lt Best behaved with the utmost gallantry.

 

After the train had been captured by 150 Boers the last four men, although completely surrounded and with no cover, continued to fire till three were killed and the fourth wounded.

 

On Boers asking the survivor the reason they had not surrendered, he replied: “Why, man, we are the Gordon Highlanders”.