This a document focuses on Black Week during the Second Boer War
It is from the Edexcel A-Level History Specification under the "The British experience of warfare, c1790–1918".
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Black Week
- Happened 10th-17th December 1899
- It was the British response to the sieges of Ladysmith, Kimberly, Mafeking.
- led by Buller – he despatched relief columns.
- Buller hoped to advance along the railways to attack Boer strongholds eg Bloemfontein.
- BUT; he had to split his force into 3…
-Gatactre: had 3,000 men to recapture Stormberg.
-Mathuen: had 10,000 men to recapture Kimberly + Mafeking.
-Buller: had 20,000 men to recapture Ladysmith.
Stormberg
- Gatacre’s force = travelled by train to marching distance of Stormberg.
- (Stormberg was a VITAL railway junction near the Orange Free State border).
- 2,300 Boers (led by Olivier) defended a pass to Stormberg.
- Gatactre tried to OUTFLANK with a night march BUT didn’t conduct reconnaissance = the soldiers got lost.
- soldiers already had no sleep for the past 24 hours = disorganised.
- had to carry rifles with fixed bayonets = difficult.
- When dawn came = surrounded by Boers on nearby hills.
- British retreated BUT left 600 troops to be captured.
Magersfontein – an early view of trench warfare
- Boers = led by Cronje + de la Rey.
- They took defensive positions on the bank of the river Modder.
- flat trajectory = fire over a mile.
- smokeless Mausers = hidden till the last second.
- [it was hard for them to wait till the last second as they were untrained so had little discipline and fired early].
- 28th November: Methuen’s forces advanced BUT were attacked.
- He gave his men 2 weeks to prepare to push the Boers off Magersfontein hill (last obstacle before Kimberly).
- The delay = allowed Boers time to prepare.
- they did NOT take the summit as Methuen expected…
- constructed trench lines at the BOTTOM of the hills (where couldn’t be seen due to line of bushes).
- 10th Dec: Methuen’s guns = opened fire on at hilltop [90 min bombardment for 3 Boer deaths].
- 11th Dec: British attack BUT little reconnaissance + in darkness men walked into cans = gave Boers warning.
- British pinned down in sunlight (exposed to sun + enemy fire)
- shelled from their OWN side…
-Methuen withdrew with 200 losses BUT Boers did NOT pursue where they could have had a decisive victory.
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