Belfast-Dalmanutha

Battle of Bergendal
Part of the Second Boer War
Two memorials, large pylon for Boers, small stone pyramid for British, on Berg-en-dal
Date 21–27 August 1900 Location Belfast, South Africa 25°44′4″S 30°5′36″E / 25.73444°S 30.09333°E / -25.73444; 30.09333 (Battle of Bergendal)Coordinates: 25°44′4″S 30°5′36″E / 25.73444°S 30.09333°E / -25.73444; 30.09333 (Battle of Bergendal) Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	South African Republic
Commanders and leaders
Lord Roberts Redvers Buller	Louis Botha
Strength
19,000 men, 82 guns	7,000 men, 20 guns
Casualties and losses
385	78

The Battle of Berg-en-dal (also known as the Battle of Belfast or Battle of Dalmanutha) took place in South Africa during the Second Anglo-Boer War. b The battle will be remembered as the last set-piece battle of the war, although it was still to last another two years. It was also the last time that the Boers' four 155 mm Creusot Long Tom guns were used in the same battle.

Hostilities commenced in October 1899. On the Cape front the British forces broke through in February 1900 and the next month they were in Bloemfontein, the capital of the Orange Free State. Pretoria, the capital of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR) was captured in June 1900. The government of the ZAR and a few Boer commandos fled eastwards along the railway line to Lourenço Marques (now Maputo). They were pursued by General Pole Carew and his 11th Infantry Division (7500 officers and men) and a cavalry division commanded by Lieutenant-General French.

Prior to the Battle of Diamond Hill on 11 June 1900, General Botha sent a few officers ahead to Belfast to select and prepare ramparts and emplacements for the next battle. The terrain at Belfast was such that it was the only place where the Boers could present a wide enough front to resist the enemy's superior force. The Boer forces were deployed as follows: North of the railway line, in a semi-circle around the town of Belfast, the Lydenburg commando was to be found on the farms Spitskop, Zuikerboschkop and Langkloof. A Long Tom was placed on the farm Spitskop. These burghers' task was to prevent the English from taking the back road to Dullstroom. The commandos from Middelburg and Johannesburg were on the farm Steynsplaats, just east of the main road to Dullstroom. Their task was to enfilade the enemy with cross-fire, should they decide to take the main road to Dullstroom and Lydenburg. Another Long Tom was placed behind these commandos on the farm Waterval. Still on the northern side of the railway line, but close to it, was the Krugersdorp commando. Next to them, but on the southern side of the railway line was a detachment of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Rijdende Politie (ZARPs), who were to bear the brunt of the British attack. The burghers from Germiston were next to them. South of the railway line the upper reaches of the Komati River flow from north to south giving rise to a number of hills and dales. One such hill formed a large plateau and was called Gelukplato, because it was on the farm Geluk. The rest of Botha's force was ensconced on this plateau. The Heidelberg commando was on the farm Geluk, while the Bethal commando built their sconces on the farm Frischgewaagd, They were supported by the third Long Tom on Driekop. The fourth Long Tom was initially mounted on a railway truck. After 6 August, when Sir Redvers Buller started to advance towards Belfast, this gun was moved to position close to Elandskop. From there they could bomb Groblers Bridge, should Buller decide to advance via there to Machadodorp.

...
Wikipedia