The Battle of Buffelspoort (Vanwykspruit) took place on 3rd December 1900 near Mooinooi.
After the occupation of Pretoria the Western Transvalers had surrendered practically en masse. But since July 1900 the 53-year-old General de la Rey had succeeded remarkably in bringing the commandos back into action in the vast region under his command and by the beginning of December he was looking anxiously for an opportunity of giving the enemy a real thrashing. Apart from other considerations, the burghers' clothes were wearing out and his Mauser ammunition was becoming so exhausted that it was becoming necessary to change over to Lee-Enfield rifles. For all these requirements De la Rey was, of course, dependent upon the seemingly inexhaustible resources of the British Army.
His chance came on Monday 3rd December 1900. Assisted by State Attorney Jan Smuts, now one of his generals at the age of 30, he suddenly overran part of an enemy convoy at Buffelspoort on the road from Pretoria to Rustenburg on the northern side of the Magaliesberg - a route which the British, with fatal assurance, had considered to be “as safe as Piccadilly”. Approximately 120 soldiers were put out of action and 126 fully loaded wagons were captured containing, in addition to supplies such as boots and clothes, a variety of delicacies and Christmas presents for the garrison at Rustenburg.
There is a memorial erected at the site.
The container is small and does not contain a pen. Please bring your own pen along.
Small note on cache maintenance: This cache will be maintained by cslyoda.
