At the start of the South African War in 1899 the Boers won a series of early victories, but in early 1900 the military tide turned and by June the British, under the supreme command of Lord Frederick Roberts, were preparing to enter Pretoria, capital of the Transvaal Republic.
While Lord Roberts approached Pretoria along the man Johannesburg-Pretoria Road, Lieutenant-General Sir John French led a column of 4,500 horsemen to encircle the capital from the west. The column comprised several celebrated cavalry regiments, the Royal Horse Artillery and numerous Canadians and Australians.
General French’s column approaching Kalkheuwel
Their route followed what is now the R512 highway to Broederstroom. The British had earlier spotted a convoy of Boer supply wagons ahead and at about 16:00 the British column followed them into the Kalkheuwel Pass.
In 1900 the pass was a narrow wagon track with verges strewn with dolomite boulders, treacherous for horses, so the column was confined to the wagon track that followed the stream bed. In the late winter afternoon long shadows added to the menace of the rugged landscape and General French was anxious to get through the pass before dark.
Unknown to the British, about 600 Boers of the Wolmaranstad and Groot Marico Commando under Field-General Sarel du...
