04. Memorial 6 May1902 - Holkrantz, Vryheid
The engagement is variously described as a battle, an ambush, a sneak attack, and an incident, but is arguably more accurately and objectively understood as a significant skirmish. In essence it was a pre-dawn surprise attack on 73 Boers of the Vryheid Commando under Veldkornet Jan Potgieter 5 by 300 warriors of the abaQulusi clan of the amaZulu under command of Sikhobobo. During the attack 56 Boers were killed, three taken prisoner and 13 escaped. AbaQulusi losses were 52 killed and 48 wounded. By South African standards, these were a significant number of casualties for a relatively short engagement.
(http://samilitaryhistory.org/misc/holkrntz.html)
contributed by: Willeen Olivier
viewed 609 times
