16 SEPTEMBER 1901 - ZOETLIEF

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“On the evening of the 15th a column numbering 250 left Vryburg and reached Zoutlief in a storm of wind and rain. The next morning the men proceeded to Thanet and found the Boers in strength.

 

A hot engagement then ensued. The Boers, who comprised Van Zyl’s and Van der Merwe’s commandos and numbered 400 strong, took up a position covering a house which appeared to be their headquarters.

 

They were shelled vigorously, but a number of shells failed to explode in consequence of the heavy rain of the previous night. Soon afterwards Keeley’s scouts from Maribogo reinforced the British left flank and endeavoured to cut off the enemy’s retreat. 

A company of the Fifth Imperial Yeomanry from Devondale ran the gauntlet of the enemy’s fire in grand style while galloping to reach a kopje which it was necessary to hold. The men raced by ones and twos across the ground under the enemy’s fire and gained their object with the loss of one killed and ten wounded.

 

A body of the enemy who had been fighting in trenches near the farmhouse surrendered on condition of their lives being spared. They proved to be 14 well-known and dangerous rebels from the Vryburg district.”
“The Times”, 2 Oct 1901