Battle of Witpoort
Battle of Witpoort | |||||||
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Part of Second Boer War | |||||||
Battle of Witpoort, South African War Memorial (Halifax), Nova Scotia | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
South African Republic | |||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Major-General Edward Hutton, Major Frederick Henry Munn | General Ben Viljoen, Roland Schikkerling | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
7 killed 30 wounded 2 officers and 22 soldiers captured |
2 killed 7wounded |
The Battle of Witpoort was fought during the
Context
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the
In the Battle of Witpoort, British commander
Battle
South African Republic General Ben Viljoen had positioned his troops for attack during the night of 15 July and then launched a three-pronged assault on Major Munn and the Irish positions at daybreak. Viljoen ordered a 'general storming of the British's entrenchments'. The battle opened at 06.45 with heavy shelling on Major Munn's troops. Renowned Boer fighter Roland Schikkerling and his comrades went to the north of the New Zealanders' ridge and then charged under heavy rifle fire. The New Zealanders surrendered one of the three hills they occupied, the Boers were in possession of the higher hill which commanded the lower middle hill. Schikkerling captured a captain and twenty New Zealanders and some continued right over the ridge and captured a number of horses. (Boer Willem Morkel du Toit died in the charge.)
The Canadians mounted a counter-attack. Colonel Edwin Alderson sent two squadrons of the Canadians to assist 'the Irish on the kopje which had been vacated by the New Zealanders' and, with the fire from the guns, the position was regained. Lieutenants Borden and John Edgar Burch[2] of 'B' Squadron led a counter-attack.[3] They were successful, but at the cost of their lives. Boer marksmen less than 200 yards distant shot them as they stood up to lead the rifles forward. Lord Roberts reported to the War Office that Borden and Burch "were killed while gallantly leading their men in a counter attack upon the enemy's flank at a critical juncture of his assault upon our position."
At 14.00, British officer Edward Hutton moved all of his available troops onto the desperately regained positions and, by sundown, the battle of Witpoort had ended. His losses were seven killed, with 30 wounded. Two officers and 22 soldiers had been taken prisoner. The Canadian losses were heavy and included Lt Borden, the son of the Canadian Minister of Defence. He is buried at the Braamfontein Cemetery, not far from the grave of Willem Morkel du Toit.
Another famous Canadian casualty was Trooper Lorne Mulloy who was blinded in both eyes and awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.
Legacy
There are very few battlefields of the
On the south of the ridge Colonel Alderson led his Canadians in their counter-attack toward the captured position. Today, this area is a well tended farm and in the north, the level ground over which the Boers charged is now a wattle plantation.
This battle site, with its clearly identifiable sangars, deserves to be declared a Heritage Site under auspices of the new National Heritage Commission.
See also
- Bombardment in the Second Boer War
- Military history of South Africa
- Military history of Nova Scotia
References
- Battle of Witpoort by D C Panagos, Military History Society Johannesberg Branch
- Harris, H, 'The Royal Irish Fusiliers' in Sir Brian Horrocks (ed), Famous Regiments, (Cooper, London, 1972).
- Miller, Carman, Painting the map red, (McGill-Queens University Press, Montreal, 1994).
Footnotes
- ^ Roland Schikkerling later authored the book Commando Courageous: (a Boer's Diary).
- ^ BURCH - Lieut. John Edgar - Royal Canadian Dragoons Killed at Reit Vlei. 16 July 1900. Memorial at St. catharine's, Niagara, Canada - "Lieut. J. Edgar Burch, Adjt. 2d Dragoons, attached to 1st Battalion C.M.R., on special duty, killed in action near Pretoria, South Africa, July 16th. 1900."
- ^ "Biography – BORDEN, HAROLD LOTHROP – Volume XII (1891-1900) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography".
External links