143 years ago the Battle of Majuba Hill was fought on February 27 – the final and decisive battle of the First Boer War that was a resounding victory for the Boer over the British.
This historic event that is part of Northern KZN’s rich tapestry was re-enacted on Saturday on the slopes of the ‘Hill of Doves’ as Majuba is also known with the Dundee Die Hards facing off against a contingent of Boers.
In reaction to the battle of Laingsnek in January of the same year (1881), General George Pomeroy Colley of the British Army ordered around 2 000 troops be sent to Newcastle to occupy Majuba Mountain, where the Brits would have a better vantage point over Boer camps.
Late in the evening of February 26, a day prior to the Battle started ascending up the mountain.
The next morning 400 troops were on the top of the mountain when they were spotted by Boer troops.
In retaliation General Nicolaas Smit deployed Boer volunteers of all ages into three groups.
After the Boer troops began firing later the afternoon at Gordon’s Knoll, the confusion of the attack lead the British troops to retreat which resulted in many fatalities, injuries and arrests.
92 British soldiers perished in the battle, with around 134 injuries and 59 arrests. Only one Boer troop, H. Bekker was killed during the Battle, and later J. Groenewald also died because of complications.
On Saturday the weather was a boiling summer’s day unlike on the day of the battle which by accounts was cloudy.
Gavin Slater of the Die Hards said Majuba had been re-enacted for many years.
“I first joined in 2002 so it is definitely part of our annual calendar of events. We had a terrific turn out of spectators watching the 18 red coats and 18 khakis doing battle. Fortunately we did not have to beat each other up like 143 years ago.”
” The Die Hards are made up of military re-enactment enthusiasts from Dundee, Newcastle, Vryheid and far as Durban and even Gauteng. The Boer contingent travelled from near and far including Northern KZN, the Free State and Mpumalanga.
Slater stressed that re-enactments are not done to “glorify war,” but rather to bring history to life and ensure that the younger generation is aware of the past so that they do not repeat the same mistakes in the future.
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