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Battle of Groenkop

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Battle of Groenkop

A memorial monument has been erected on the top of Groenkop Situated between Bethlehem and Kestell (40 km from Bethlehem), remembering those who died during the battle on 25 December 1901.
Major Williams with 550 men, most of them from the 11th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry, a 15-pounder gun and a pom-pom were positioned at the top of the 61m high Groenkop. And as one British prisoner of war stated after, some of their Boer captors were so short on clothing that they were wearing womens clothing. But despite their attire, the Boers defeated the British soldiers after climbing Groenkop barefoot at 02:00 on Christmas morning 1901. The Boers fired shots down into the tents of the sleeping Brittish soldiers camped at the foot of the hill, reigning down a massacre which lasted for 40 minutes before the British surrendered.

To get to Groenkop - a few kms west of Kestell on the N5 is a signposted good dirt road. The main access route up the hill is the road used by Telkom to service their installation, it is a bit tricky to find as it winds between farm buildings. A farmer should be asked to open his gate for you (a 4x4 would be preferable). The farmer and his family are trying to keep the vandals out but still let the site be open to those who are interested. Do your research before you go as the only information at the summit are the names on the memorial.

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