History

The Wakkerstroom Commando

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The Wakkerstroom Commando and its leader at the time. Additional Links & Related Info below: About the Wakkerstroom CommandoAbout KOMMANDANT – I.J. GREYLINGAbout GENERAL – COENRAAD (COEN) BRITSThe Besieged Towns of the First Boer War, 1880-1881The Surrender of the Wakkerstroom CommandoGeneral Pictures relating & Pertaining to the above linksAbout THE SIX FOOT SIX GENERAL – … Read more

British Concentration Camps of the South African War 1900 -1902 (Includes Volksrust.)

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Open Quote: “The camps were formed by the British army to house the residents of the two Boer republics of the South African Republic and the Orange Free State. They were established towards the end of 1900, after Britain had invaded the Boer republics. This database was designed to investigate mortality and morbidity in the … Read more

Firearms and Firepower: First War of Independence, 1880-1881

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by Felix Machanik The rifles used by both forces were very similar in manufacture, sighting, calibre, weight, and ammunition. The British were issued with the Martini-Henry, and the Boers mainly used the Westley Richards, falling-block, breech-loader. The Boer victory in this war can largely be attributed to their prowess in handling their rifles, and to … Read more

The Battle of Majuba, 27 February 1881

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by G.R. Duxbury Colley suffered two crushing defeats at Laingsnek and Schuinshoogte. The second would have been avoided had he withdrawn to Newcastle to await reinforcements after the Laingsnek disaster but no doubt he weighed up the effect of such a withdrawal on the morale, not only of his own troops, but also on that … Read more

The Battle of Majuba : Telegrams of 27 February 1881

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Compiled by Rob Jordan The following telegrams may be of interest, not so much for any light they may throw on the tactics of the battle – the supposed shortage of ammunition has been convincingly refuted – but as indicating how suddenly and unexpectedly the British defeat occurred, and the panic it sowed as far … Read more

General Piet and Hendrina Joubert Mausoleum

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• Resting place of former Commandant-General of the Transvaal Piet Joubert and his wife, Hendrina.• The mausoleum is open for public viewing, although only reachable via a private gravel road linking the local farms with the main road from Volksrust.• Paul Kruger and Piet Joubert were the two main political and military “strong men” of … Read more

The First Anglo-Boer War: Boers defeat the British at the Battle of Majuba

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27 February 1881 The poverty and vulnerability of the South African Republic (Transvaal) prompted Disraeli’s Conservative government to annex it in 1877. This was an important step in achieving the federation of the South African colonies. However, Britain underestimated the fierce independence of Afrikaners in the Transvaal. An Afrikaner revolt in December 1880, led by Paul … Read more