Boer War Hunt : Day 5 :Naauwpoort : Part 1 : Old Historical

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Boer War Hunt : Day 5 : A Freezing but Fabulous Day at Naauwpoort : Part 1 : Old Historical Pictures

Part 1 is only a few historical pictures taken in or near the Naauwpoort area that I have downloaded from various sources on the internet.



Soldiers of Colonel Porter with bayonets ready practicing to meet a Boer Cavalry charge,
Naauwpoort 13 December 1900 . (Boer War 5th Dragoon Guards at Naauwpoort photograph)


Boer War, South Africa, 1899-1902: Panorama of NAAUWPOORT

General Kelly-Kenny, dauntless British Commander of the 6th Divison inspecting Naauwpoort Camp', 1900 (c).


South Australian Infantry lined up for inspection by the General at Naauwpoort, South Africa

NAAUWPOORT JUNCTION : On the 19th Nov 1899, Gen. Wauchope carried out an order to reoccupy Naauwpoort Junction. With him went half of 2nd Black Watch, half a Btn of Berkshires 70 NSW Lancers and two 9-pounder muzzleloaders. Fortuitously the train carrying the 2nd Black Watch had just passed over a culvert when it was blown up by the Boers.

Whilst here the 2nd Black Watch built earthworks and made a reconnaissance towards Colesberg where the Boers were in force. On the 23rd November C Company, under Captain Cumming-Bruce, when acting as part of an escort to General French's reconstruction train, came under fire from some Boers near Arundel.

Half the Btn stayed at Naauwpoort whilst the other half arrived at Orange River station arriving around Nov 28th. Officer's claymores had been left along with all sporrans. To replace the sporran an apron of khaki drill was worn and all ranks carried the rifle.


See part 2 – our actual hunt at Naauwpoort posted below...

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Boer War Hunt : Day 5 : A Freezing but Fabulous Day at Naauwpoort : Part 2 : Our Actual Hunt

On the 5th day of the trip we got up at 5 in the morning for a 70 kilometre drive to Naauwpoort, a small town south of Colesburg where a huge British camp was situated during the Anglo Boer war.

When we left Norvalspond the temperature was quit accommodating, but when we stopped for pictures at the old British fort at Naauwpoort, it was freezing – and some of the guys only had T-shirts on!



From there we took an old gravel road to the old camp site that got narrower and narrower until we had to do some “bundu bashing” for the last kilometre or so ... I did not tell Mariana about it when I got home as I was driving her car!

According to old pictorial evidence, it was a huge camp, but when we reached the spot, it was strewn with rusted 110-year old Bully beef tins and other ferrous metals that made detecting almost impossible. Coupled with the freezing cold, we decided to leave the camp site for a warm cup of coffee at the old renovated Railway Restaurant in Naauwpoort.

From there on we went to farm that had some ploughed fields on which numerous Boer War artefacts were found in the past – including a gold Sovereign or three...

Compared to the previous days, this was easy digging and many nice finds were made – I had a nice regimental button - a 4th Dragoon Guards Button that won me the best find of the day. Most of the guys did well and at midday we had a nice barbeque under some trees near the field where Lukas shot the movie scene of Colin from the UK on the Bush Toilet! See link here ...

members.boardhost.com/Tom1/msg/1379419416.html

Then it was back to the ploughed field again – a farm foreman told us that the British Offices used to have a Polo Field nearby that some of the guys also searched – but I am not sure what was found there.

It was our last day staying at Norvalspond so we returned back to hotel earlier than usual for the daily prize giving and to pack and get everything ready for the second stage of the trip – the last two days at De Aar.

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See my post tomorrow of our last two days hunt at De Aar

[Leslie Sarkany]

Wowzer a lot of work went into this post. Enjoyed the history angle. Good luck on the rest of the hunt P.

[Deleted]

Love seeing the old photo's really bring history to life!

Thanks for sharing