Magersfontein Battlefield

On our trip to Cape town we visited this old Battlefield site just outside Kimberley. The Battle of Magersfontein was fought here on 11 December 1899, One if overwhelmed by the magnitude of this great battle. Many of the soldies who died here were Andre, my son's, age .......19
British forces under Lieutenant General Lord Methuen were advancing north along the railway line from the Cape in order to relieve the Siege of Kimberley, but their path was blocked at Magersfontein by a Boer force that was entrenched in the surrounding hills.
Terrible casualties were inflicted on both sides, on the Boer side, the Scandinavian Corps were destroyed. These brave young soldies died so far away from their home country for a cause they propably never understood. The Boers attained a tactical victory and succeeded in holding the British in their advance on Kimberley. The battle was the second of three battles during what became known as the Black Week of the Second Boer War.
A beautiful monument has been erected to honour the brave.