The Seige of Elands River Post

The Siege at Elands River Post in which Australian Troops played a major part was one of the most remarkable engagements of the Boer War.The engagement was uncharacteristic of the role of the Australian Troops in South Africa and for the first time they were called upon to experience the privations of trench warfare. The significanceof this action was no doubt overshadowed by the horrific events of WW I.

The establishment of Elands River Post was part of the British march East after the relief of Mafeking and the first occupation of the area took place on the 4th June 1900. The quantity of supplies at Elands River resulted from the planned withdrawal by the British to Zeerust as the line of communication was becoming vulnerable to the Boer Guerillas ... It was estimated that as at 4th August 1900, the position contained 1500 cattle , horses, and mules together with 100 wagons . Overall sufficient supplies to maintain a force of 3000 for one month.
The area and surrounding terrain resembled a large stadium, having high ground on three sides and an open area, approximately 2 to 3 miles across the centre, being occupied by the defenders. The Boer gunners could not have hoped for a better target as the maximum range from the high ground to the position was 2000 to 4000 yards. However the layout of the position was sufficient to deter the Boers from an Infantry attack which in their opinion would have resulted in an unacceptable casualty rate.

The Garrison Hospital. The Red Cross Flag is the third hoisted during the siege,
two flags having been shot away.

The strength of the Boer forces at the commencement of the siege were estimated to be between 2000 and 3000 men, their main artillery consisted of 1 x 15 pounder, 3 x 12 pounders, 1 x 7 pounder, 3 x Pom Poms and 1 x maximum gun. The artillery pieces being strategically placed on the high ground overlooking the position. The Boers were Commanded by General De La Rey.
The strength of the defending force was 505 of which 301 were Australian Imperial Bushman. The breakdown of the Australians were: The Third Queensland Mounted Infantry 145, New South Wales Bushman's Rifles 105, Victorian Bushman's Rifles 42 , and Western Australian Bushman 9. The main weapons were 1 old muzzel-loading 7 pounder mounted on a 9 pounder gun carriage,1 x .303 inch service pattern maxim gun , and 1 x .45 maximum. The defenders were commanded by Lt Col Hore and his 2nd in Command was Maj Tunbridge who commanded the 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry.

Major Tunbridge

The siege commenced on the 4th of August 1900 and by the end of the day 1700 artillery shells had landed on the position, more than half the horses and cattle had been killed or mangled and the defenders had suffered 5KIA and 27WIA. The Australians who the day before had no enthusiasm towards to necessity to dig trenches now went about their task with renewed vigour at every break in the shelling. There are graphic eye witness accounts of the events of the first day which include the carnage caused by artillery falling amongst the tethered animals. These include accounts of animals being killed 20 and 30 at one time by artillery shells.
Day two of the siege was similar to the first except that only 480 rounds fell on the position and the remainder of the animals were either killed or wounded and had to be put down. Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Carrington had been ordered to Elands River Post and left Mafeking on the 1st of August 1900 with an all-up strength of 1013 all ranks , and by the 5th of August a column of 600 troops supported by artillery had advanced to within half a mile of Elands River. Carrington's force made contact with the Boers and the sound of his guns could be heard by the besieged troops.
However, by the afternoon of the 5th of August Carrington appreciated that he could not sustain a protracted engagement. De La Rey was capable of defeating the combined force if he joined up with Hore, so Carrington withdrew to Zeerust. The Garrison was once again beleagured . History records that his conduct of the 6 weeks campaign between Mafeking and Elands River shattered his reputation built up over 25 years of soldiering and he requested to return to England in 1901.Each day of the siege was similar with the Boers commencing fire at 6am and ceasing at dusk. The snipers continued with their mausers during the day. At last light the Boer gunners would sight their guns and fire them at about 10pm as they knew the defenders would take the opportunity to leave their cramped trenches at night. Each night the defenders would send out water parties to the river as the position did not have a water supply.

General Baden-Powell with a force of 2000 mounted men was marching from the west towards Elands River to relieve Hore on the 6th Aug 1900. Baden - Powell formed the opinion that either Carrington had rescued Hore's force or it had been captured and returned to Rusberg. Field Marshall Lord Roberts decided to leave Hore's garrison to its fate, although little is known about the considerations reflected in this decision. However it could not be denied that the British and for that matter Baden-Powell had at their disposal a mobile force that could have broken the siege. One Imperial Light Horse Officer, Lt Clem Webb, likened Baden-Powell to the Duke of York when he recorded in his diary "He marched them up the hill and then he marched them down again"
Baden-Powell was commended for his part in the defence of Mafeking which was concluded on the 17 May 1900 however he was recalled after Elands River. Lord Roberts, in a letter to Kitchener dated the 20 Jul 1901, was to write in part: "I gather from your reports that you are not altogether satisfied with B-P and, as you remember, he greatly disappointed me when he was given an independent action. He certainly was not a good General, but I thought he would be a good organiser"

Major D.J.Ham ("Life" 1907, Mitchell Library).

A representative from General De La Rey approached the camp under a flag of truce requesting Hore to surrender the position and offering safe passage to the nearest British troops. Hore called a meeting of his officers. In a few words Captain Butters dismissed as out of hand any talk of surrender and pointed out that he could not go back and tell his men who had fought so courageously that they should surrender.Colonel Hore declined the offer and Captain Ham claimed that a message compiled by certain Colonials was also sent back worded as follows: "If De La Rey wants our camp, why does he not come and take it? We will be pleased to meet him and his men, and promise them a great reception at the end of a toasting fork. Australians will never surrender. Australia forever!"
Sergeant Austen wrote that Hore and his staff wanted to surrender and this may have happened had it not been for Major Tunbridge and other officers.

Between the 11th and the 15th of August the intensity of the siege reduced although the sniping continued during the day . The Boers gave up attacking the water parties at night and each soldier was rationed 1 quart of water each day. However by the end of the two weeks they were unshaven, dirt-covered soldiers. At 6pm on 10th August 1900, Tunbridge dispatched a rider to Carrington, stating that he was surrounded and had been under siege since 4th August 1900.

Colonel Tunbridge, Major and Second in Command at Elands River ("Life" 1907, Mitchell Library)

On the 14th of August news received from General Carrington confirmed the Elands River garrison was still holding one week after Roberts had decided to "leave the garrison to its fate" A decision was made to dispatch a column to relieve the Elands River garrison. Roberts referred to Baden-Powell's abortive relief march: "This would have been sent before, but I was told that all sounds of firing at Elands River Post had ceased, and that his little column was overpowered". The relief of Elands River Post now received a priority as high as other in the Campaign.
When news that Colonel Hore was holding out reached Kitchener, without waiting for direct orders he set out at 2am on 15th August 1900, across very hilly and difficult country towards Elands River. He had under command the 2nd and 3rd Cavalry Brigades, Mounted Infantry, and two Infantry Battalions. A further Brigade under Maj General A.S Hart followed five miles behind. At 8.30am on 16th August 1900, General Lord Kitchener's Column arrived at Elands river having covered 35 miles in 30 hours. By nightfall as many as 10,000 troops had passed through the camp and Kitchener's convoy alone was over 10 miles long.
During the siege there were many acts of bravery, too numerous to mention in this paper. However, a fair summing-up of the incident was made by General Smuts who in latter years served two terms as Prime Minister of South Africa.
"There can only be one opinion about the fine determination and pluck of these stalwart Colonels, to many this terrific must have been their first experience of serious warfare. Deserted by their friends and then, owing to unreasonable obstinacy, abandoned by their disappointed enemies, they simply sat tight until Kitchener's column, which was in pursuit of General De Wet, finally disinterred them from the carcass-covered Kopje, into which they had burrowed so effectually that it seemed unlikely they would ever come out of it.
Our sincere thanks go to Robert L. Wallace, the author of "The Circumstances Surrounding the Siege of Elands River Post" for allowing use of material from his book.

	Historic Battles and Military Engagements THE SEIGE OF ELANDS RIVER POST
	On the 14th of August 1900, news received from General Carrington confirmed the Elands River garrison was still holding one week after Roberts had decided to "leave the garrison to its fate" A decision was made to dispatch a column to relieve the Elands River garrison. Roberts referred to Baden-Powell's abortive relief march: "This would have been sent before, but I was told that all sounds of firing at Elands River Post had ceased, and that his little column was overpowered"