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Military History – South Africa – Europe – England 19th Century
.Article – Online Historic Information | Military
.Page 138
Reference:
Marix Evans, Martin, The Boer War: South Africa 1899–1902 (Oxford, Osprey Publishing, 1999);
Pakenham, Thomas, The Boer War (London, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1979; Abacus, 1992).
Kimberley, Relief of,
10–15 February 1900
The presence of Cecil Rhodes in Kimberley and his threat to yield up the town to the Boers forced
Lord Roberts to give the town’s relief a greater importance than it deserved in strategic terms. The
dramatic and much admired cavalry operation that cut through Boer lines to achieve the relief caused
irreparable damage to the strength of the cavalry.
After the failure of Lord Methuen’s attempt to relieve Kimberley and the other setbacks of
“Black Week”, Lord Roberts was appointed Commander-in-Chief. He arrived in South Africa with
considerable reinforcements and got to Modder River Station on 10 February. While the Boers under
Commandant-general Piet Cronjé were distracted with actions such as that at Koedoesberg Drift, the
cavalry, under Lieutenant-general Sir John French, made a wide flanking march to cross the Riet
River to the southeast. At Waterval Drift Christiaan De Wet was deceived into thinking he faced a
much stronger force and withdrew while French pushed on north towards the Modder River at
Rondavel and Klip Drift. A feint to the east kept Commandant J. Lubbe’s commando at Klip Kraal
Drift. Lieutenant-general Thomas Kelly-Kenny’s 6th Division, with a remarkable forced march, came
up with French on the night of 14/15 February and French made for Kimberley the next day, brushing
aside a feeble attempt by the Boers to stop him. The horses were watered at Abon’s Dam and rushed
onwards, slowing as they went, and increasing numbers collapsed. The force entered Kimberley at 6
p.m. on 15 February. When called upon to move to Paardeberg two days later, French could muster
only 1,500 of the 5,000 horses with which he began this operation.
See also:
Horses; Kimberley, Siege of; Paardeberg, Battle of; Waterval Drift, Action at.
Reference:
Baker, Anthony, Battles & Battlefields of the Anglo-Boer War (Milton Keynes, The Military Press,
1999); Pakenham, Thomas, The Boer War (London, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1979; Abacus,
1992).
Kitchener, Major-General Frederick W.
Lord Kitchener’s younger brother Frederick joined the West Yorkshire Regiment in 1876 at the age of
eighteen and served under Lord Roberts in the Afghan War of 1878–80. He served in Egypt and the
Sudan and became Governor of Khartoum in 1898. He commanded the 7th Brigade of the 4th
Division in the relief of Ladysmith, having succeeded Major-general A. S. Wynne. He fought at the
Battle of Bergendal and in the Lydenburg district. He was active in the
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