Rhenosterkop 29 November 1900 and 29 Mar 1901

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29 November 1900

This could perhaps be rated the first occasion where troops from all the Australian colonies were involved. Fought to the east of Pretoria against Boer General Viljoen on 29 November 1900, it was mainly the Australian Bushmen contingents that took part. The Australians had 12 casualties (the Queenslanders having the majority) and the New Zealanders had 28 casualties. Viljoen withdrew from his position but it had been a pyrrhic victory.

A contemporary illustration of the Boers' Rhenosterkop position

29 Mar 1901

“Four squadrons of 5th Victorian Mounted Rifles rode out to clear some gullies of Boers and found what seemed to be only a few fugitives. The fugitives nevertheless drew some of the Victorians into a trap and shot down a captain, a lieutenant, and several men.”

Australian Mounted Troops Involved Included:

5 Victorian Mounted Rifles

Reference: Wilcox, Craig. Australia’s Boer War. The War In South Africa 1899-1902. Oxford University Press in conjunction with AWM, Australia, 2002, ISBN 0 19 551637 0 p 200

Robin Droogleever and Major John Baines RFD 2010

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