5 | Transvaal War of Independence 1880-1881

28th January 1881 (Laing’s Nek is the name that has come down through history) The British forces intent on relieving the British garrisons besieged in the Transvaal tried to break through the Burghers’ defensive line running from the edge of…

8th February 1881 Having repulsed the British forces at Laing’s Nek the Transvaal Burghers then started to harass the British lines of communication between Newcastle and their camp at Mt. Prospect. Expecting a re-supply convoy from Newcastle on the 8th…

Mkupe Pass on the N11. British signalling post built during the war. On east side of N11 overlooking the Mkupe Pass between Newcastle and Ladysmith. Original known as Fort One Tree Hill it eventually became known as Fort Mistake but…

Sunday 27th February 1881 On the night of Saturday 26th February the British Gen. Sir George Pomeroy Colley occupied the top of Majuba with some 400 men. In the early hours of Sunday 27th when the Burghers realised the British…

During the Transvaal War of Independence 1880-81 the cottage, home of Eugene O’Neill, which lay in “no mans land” between the British and Burgher forces became a makeshift hospital for British after their defeat at Majuba and there are graves…

This is the site of the British camp and Military Cemetery during the Transvaal War of Independence 1880-81 and was occupied by the British from January 24th to the end of March 1881. Many of the British soldiers who died…