Sanna's Post

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Battle of Sanna's Post
Part of Second Boer War
Date 31 March 1900 Location near Bloemfontein, Orange Free State, South Africa 29°9′26″S 26°32′8″E / 29.15722°S 26.53556°E / -29.15722; 26.53556 Result Boer victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland	Orange Free State
Commanders and leaders
Brigadier General Robert Broadwood	Christiaan Rudolf de Wet
Strength
2,000 12 guns	400 (1,600 distantly engaged)
Casualties and losses
155 dead or wounded 428 prisoners 7 guns	3 dead 5 wounded

The Battle of Sanna's Post (a.k.a. Kroon Spruit) was an engagement fought during the

During the darkness De Wet infiltrated a force of riflemen into the ravine created by the Modder River, setting the kill zone of the ambush. At first light on 31 March, Piet de Wet's artillery opened fire from a set of small hills to the north as the British troops were striking camp for the morning. Tactical surprise was complete and all were sent into a state of confusion. The British force began to retreat as expected, in the direction of the ravine where the blocking force awaited with orders from De Wet to hold their fire. The civilian wagon drivers preceding the soldiers were seized by the Boers and told if they warned the British they would be shot. Therefore, the British soldiers suspected nothing and approached the river in small groups. As they did so De Wet’s troops ordered them to surrender, and approximately two hundred were captured, along with the six guns of U Battery.

An alert British officer noticed what was happening and ordered Q Battery to gallop away. De Wet's men then opened fire. The British fell back on a railway station which offered substantial cover, while Q Battery under Major Phipps-Hornby (joined by one gun from U Battery whose team managed to break away from de Wet) deployed in the open and opened fire.

This fire, combined with accurate rifle fire from the railway station, pinned down Christiaan de Wet's men, but Piet de Wet's forces were increasing their pressure. Broadwood's ammunition was running out, and he decided to retire to the south. His guns had first to be recovered. Five were hooked up and towed away, but two had to be abandoned. Many British soldiers were killed crossing the 1300 yards of open ground to retrieve the guns, but unit integrity was maintained.

Eventually, Broadwood managed to break contact. Approximately three hours later the 9th Infantry Division commanded by Major General Sir Henry Colville arrived to relieve the mounted brigade, but de Wet’s men had withdrawn to highly defensible positions across the Modder River and both sides retired from the field. This nevertheless left Bloemfontein's water works in Boer hands.

In all, the British suffered 155 men killed or wounded. 428 men, seven field artillery pieces and 117 wagons were captured. The Boer force suffered three killed and five wounded. But even more serious than the losses in the action was the loss of Bloemfontein's water supplies. This greatly aggravated an epidemic of enteric fever dysentery and cholera among the occupying British army, which eventually caused 2000 deaths.

Aftermath

In recognition of the conspicuous gallantry displayed by all ranks of Q Battery on this occasion, Field Marshal Lord Roberts decided to treat the case as one of collective gallantry, under the Rule 13 of the

The men from Q Battery awarded the Victoria Cross were: Major

Q Battery was officially granted the Honour Title "Sanna's Post" on 18 October 1926 in commemoration of this action.[2] As of 2015, it continues to serve as Q (Sanna's Post) Battery in 5th Regiment Royal Artillery.^[3]

Field Marshal Lord Roberts also awarded the Victoria Cross to Lieutenant Francis Aylmer Maxwell who voluntarily made five incursions into open terrain under heavy rifle fire to recover two guns and three limbers, one of which was dragged back by hand by himself, another officer and some gunners. Lieutenant Maxwell also attempted to save the third gun from capture, remaining with it until the proximity of the enemy made further efforts impossible.

Lieutenant Maxwell's orderly, Sowar Dost Muhammed Khan of the 18th Bengal Lancers, was awarded the 3rd Class Order of Merit for his gallant actions in support of Lieutenant Maxwell under heavy fire at Sanna’s Post.

See also

• Military history of South Africa

References

Bibliography

• "Organizational home". Q Battery, 5th Artillery Regiment, British Army homepage. Archived from the original on 21 February 2006. Retrieved 23 February 2006.