Description

Title: Elands River Siege, 1900 – Australians in the Boer War

Author: Wallace, Robert

Condition: Near Mint Plus

Edition: 2nd Edition

Publication Date: 2000

ISBN: 1876439017

Cover: Hard Cover without Dust Jacket (Laminated Boards) – 211 pages

Comments: The  detailed account of the Australian Contingent to the Boer War involved in the siege at 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 significance of this action was no doubt overshadowed by the horrific events of WW I.

The Battle of Elands River was an engagement of the Second Boer War that took place between 4 and 16 August 1900 in western Transvaal. The battle was fought between a force of 2,000 to 3,000 Boers who attacked a garrison of 500 Australian, Rhodesian, Canadian and British soldiers, who were stationed near Elands River to act as a garrison for a British supply dump. Over the course of 13 days, the garrison was heavily shelled and attacked with small arms. Outnumbered and surrounded, the garrison was asked to surrender, but refused. The siege was subsequently lifted when the garrison was relieved by a 10,000-strong column led by Lord Kitchener.