Anglo Boer War
With the discovery of gold in the Transvaal (Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek) in 1886, The Boers, fearing an influx of uitlanders (foreigners), amended the voting act. The foreigners on the goldfields protested, certain members of the British government manipulated the situation to their own ends, and war between Britain and the ZAR, who were supported by the Orange Free State, broke out on 11th October 1899.
The northern triangle of Natal, which bordered both Boer Republics, was an especially vulnerable region and within the first two months of the war the Boers had forced the British troops back below the Thukela River line and besieged the town of Ladysmith, battles having taken place at Talana near Dundee and Elandslaagte.
Britain entered the war promising to give the “Boojers a lesson” believing it would all be over by Christmas, but as Rudyard Kipling pointed out, it was the comparatively small band of volunteers from the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek and the Orange Free State that were to give Queen Victoria’s proud British Army “no end of a lesson”. The three year conflict proved to be the longest, costliest, bloodiest and most humiliating war Britain had fought since the Napoleonic wars.
During the Anglo-Boer War, the Boers besieged the British army in Ladysmith for 118 days, an event that dominated world headlines. In doing so they held off British attempts to break through to Ladysmith along the Thukela River line at Colenso, iNthabamnyama, Spioenkop and Vaalkrans until finally succumbing to a massive 14 day offensive by the British known as the Battle of the Thukela Heights which was the biggest battle fought by the British in Africa until World War 2. The Boers then confounded British strategists by discarding conventional warfare and opting for guerrilla tactics, using relatively small, highly mobile mounted commando units.
Battlefields and Historical Sites
Talana Museum, Battlefield and Heritage Park
20 October 1899 Talana Museum, situated three kilometres outside Dundee on the Vryheid road, is no repository of old and dusty relics, ancient tomes and yellowing photographs. Established in 1982 to coincide with the centenary of Dundee, the name Talana…
Elandslaagte Battlefield
21 October 1899 The Boers occupied the railway Station on the 20th October and early the following morning a British mounted patrol with artillery shelled them. The Boers withdrew, took up a position on high ground overlooking the railway line…
Ladysmith Siege Museum
Acclaimed as one of the best Anglo Boer War museums in South Africa, its displays on the famous Siege and Relief of Ladysmith have thrilled countless Boer War enthusiasts. Built in 1884 as a market house, it served as a…
Wagon Hill Battle Site
Battle of Wagon Hill 6th January 1900 The Battle of Wagon Hill and Caesar’s Camp was fought on 6th January 1900 when the Boers attacked the position at around 02h00 in the morning and went on all day until the…
Platrand
“The Platrand is a long hill on the south side of the town. It was a critical section in the town’s defences. The soldiers christened the east end Caesar’s Camp and the West end Wagon Hill after features at Aldershot….
Armoured Train Incident
On the 15th November 1899 Winston Churchill, a war correspondent for the Morning Post persuaded his friend Capt Haldane to let him accompany him on an armoured train on a reconnaissance along the rail line between Estcourt and Colenso. The…
Battle of Willow Grange
23 November 1899 Most southern point that a pitched battle was fought between the British and the Boers. Despite Boer advantage, they decided to withdraw back to the Thukela line. Cmdt. Gen. Piet Joubert injured and invalided to Pretoria. South…
Clouston Koppie of Remembrance & Battle of Colenso
15 December1899 Gen Sir Redvers Buller’s first attempt to cross the Thukela River and relieve Ladysmith met with disaster at the Battle of Colenso. Memorials and graves moved to this site, which was Gen. Buller’s headquarters during the battle. Several…
Battle of Colenso 15th December 1899 – Gun Sites
15th December 1899 In the early stages of the Battle of Colenso, Co.l Long advanced his gun battery to this position where they came under devastating rifle fire from Boers position along the river bank. The Battery fought on, suffering…
Ambleside Military Cemetery
Burial site of soldiers of the 5th Irish Brigade, killed in Battle of Colenso. The Irish Brigade had been detailed to cross the Thukela River well up stream of the town and the Doornkopspruit and to swing right to roll…
Battle of iNthabamnyama
20 – 22 January 1900 In an attempt to turn the Boer right flank Lieut. Gen Sir Charles Warren’s 5th Division mounted an attack across the iNthabamnyama Range but became pinned down by Boer rifle and artillery fire. The British…
Rangeworthy Military Cemetery
Situated below iNtabamnyama Battlefield. Many of the men who lost their lives in the above and below actions are buried here. There is no on site information and the use of a Guide is recommended to enhance the experience of…
Spion Kop Battlefield
24 January 1900 Certainly the most futile and bloodiest of five battles fought in an effort to relieve Ladysmith. The British occupied the kop during the night of the 23rd January 1900 and the Boers counter attacked as the mist…
Spearman’s Military Cemetery
On R600 between Ladysmith and Winterton. Near the site of No 4 Stationary Hospital during Gen Sir Redvers Buller’s upper Tugela operations. British campsite was situated in the valley below. On Private property but visitors have access to the graves….
Chieveley Military Cemetery
Site of No 4 Stationary Hospital. Burial place of Field Marshal Lord Roberts’s son Lt. Freddie Roberts. Turn off R103 between Colenso and Estcourt and follow dirt road past railway station to cemetery. Views: 0
Vaalkrans Battlefield
5-7 February 1900 Fourth unsuccessful attempt by Gen. Buller to relieve Ladysmith. Scene of the British feint movement on the opposite side of the Tugela River main battle was fought on Vaalkrans itself. Site is situated on private property and…
Battle of uThukela (Tugela) Heights
12-28 February 1900 In a massive combined operation General Buller’s troops fought numerous battles on the south bank of the Thukela River: Cingolo Hill, Monte Cristo, Green Hill, Hlangwane – followed by a series of operations on the north bank…
Helpmekaar Battlesite
13 May 1900 British forces broke through the Boer line in Biggarsberg Resulting in the British recapturing Dundee. The remains of a Boer fort are on top of the hill. This site is not easy to access and there is…
Botha’s Pass Battlefield
8 June 1900 On 8 June 1900 Gen Buller advanced some 22 000 men and 26 guns against General Chris Botha’s 2500 men, taking first van Wyk’s kop on the Natal side of the valley held by the Free Staters…
Alleman’s Nek Battlefield
720 | This was the battle where the British forces under Gen. Buller finally broke through the Boer forces and entered the Transvaal. Take the Vrede road out of Volksrust and it will pass through Alleman’s Nek. Take the turn…
Scheepersnek Battlefield
20 May 1900 75 Swaziland Police and Vryheid burghers were stationed here. During a church service a Squadron of British cavalry arrived unexpectedly. After a short fight the British withdrew. 10km outside Vryheid on R33 to Dundee. Private farm. Site…
Lancaster Hill
11-12 December 1900 The hill overlooking Vryheid was occupied by 900 men of the Lancaster Regt who fortified the position with trenches and gun positions. During the night of 11-12 December 1900 Boers of Gen Louis Botha’s second invasion force…
Capt.Pokrowski Memorial and Wall of Remembrance
25 December 1900 25 December 1900. Memorial to Polish officer in the Russian army, who died fighting in a skirmish near Utrecht on Christmas Day 1900. Across the road in the grounds of the Ou Pastorie and Museum there is…
Blood River Poort Battlefield
17 September 1901 Battle fought during Gen Louis Botha’s second invasion of Natal. A British Squadron attacked a scouting party of Boers only to be attacked themselves by the main body of Boers. 16 British Officers and 273 men killed…
Mount Itala Battlefield
25-26 September 1901 The British position consisted of sangars on the summit of the hill manned by about 80 men and a much larger sangar at the bottom of the hill. The Boers attacked and overran the defenders of the…
Fort Prospect
26 September 1901 This outpost was manned by 82 British Soldiers but were forewarned of the pending Boer attack and built a well fortified position. The Boers attacked with some 400 men. After a protracted battle lasting all day during…
Holkrans Battlefield
6 May 1902 Louis Botha’s Commandos desperate for food began raiding local Zulus’ cattle and crops. The abaQulusi community threatened to retaliate and this occurred in the early hours of 6 May 1902 when Chief Sikhobobo with some 300 men…
British Soldiers Memorial
The Cross shaped Memorial in honour of British Soldiers who died during battles around Volksrust, and Amersfoort areas is in a park on the north side of town on the west side of the N11 just as one leaves the…
Concentration Camp Memorial
In the Volksrust town square adjacent to the municipal buildings is a Memorial Statue and wall of Remembrance for the Boer women and children that died in the Volksrust Concentration Camp. This is a very beautiful and emotive monument. Nearby…
Birthplace of General Louis Botha
Born 1862 The eighth of 13 children, Botha was to become the Acting Commandant-General of the ZAR forces, distinguishing himself at Colenso and Spioenkop. After the war he went on to become first Prime Minister of the Union of South…