The Battle of Willow Grange, which took place on 23 November 1899 at Willow Grange, south of Estcourt, saw the Boer forces under General Piet Joubert defeat the British forces. The battle was fought in adverse weather conditions; lightning struck, killing one civilian and knocking two others unconscious, and also killed six horses. Additionally, one British soldier was struck by lightning.[1][2][3][4] This was the furthers Boer advance in the war, and afterwards, General Joubert would retreat, as reinforcements led by General Buller had arrived in Mooi River.
| Battle of Willow Grange | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Second Boer War | |||||||
 Hospital Wagon bringing in the wounded from the fight | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 United Kingdom |
 South African Republic (Transvaal) | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Walter Kitchener |
Piet Joubert | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 115 killed, 49 wounded | 2 killed, 2 wounded | ||||||
Background
editThe Boers had been advancing from Ladysmith since 1 November,[5] and on 3 November, took the town of Colenso. From there, they continued to adnvace south, and split their forces into two, one heading towards Frere, and the other heading towards Weenen.[6] At this point, the Natal Field Force was split into two, with the main body of troops besieged at Ladysmith, and a force of around 2,000 stationed at Estcourt, waiting for reinforcement from General Buller.[5] On 15 November, the Boers ambushed a British armored train, resulting in the capture of Winston Churchill. From there, they continued to advance south, bypassing Estcourt, and stationing themselves on the hills overlooking the railway line at Willow Grange.[6][1] By 21 November, the British had seen the Boer position, and began preparations to dislodge them.
Battle
editOn 22 November, the British moved out from Estcourt under the command of Col. Walter Kitchener. They marched to the Boer position, and waited to attack at night. At midnight on 23 November, the British began their attack, however a lighting storm started, making the conditions adverse for both sides. [3]
Casualties
editThe British forces lost 115 soldiers, with 49 wounded, while the Boer forces had two soldiers killed and two wounded.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c Grobler, Jackie (2004). The War Reporter: The Anglo-Boer War Through the Eyes of the Burghers. Jonathan Ball. ISBN 978-1-86842-186-2.
- ^ "Battle of Willow Grange - Battlefields Route". 2013-01-31. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
- ^ a b admin (2007-04-07). "The Battle of Willow Grange". SafariKZN. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
- ^ "Willow Grange Battlefield - Drakensberg Experience". 2021-03-08. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
- ^ a b Spencer Churchill, Winston (May 6, 1900). "London to Ladysmith via Pretoria - Chapter 5". Wikisource. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
- ^ a b Conan Doyle, Arthur (May 1902). "The Great Boer War - Chapter 13". Wikisource. Retrieved 2024-10-04.