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Page 35
From here General Buller turned north, and on September 1st, advancing
up the Lydenburg road, reached Badfontein on the Crocodile River. Here
the army bivouacked for the night, and an advance was made up the
Badfontein valley next morning, but coming into contact with the Boers
who were holding the northern end of the valley, his further progress
was checked. The Boer position extended along the high hills which
straddled the road in a semicircular position some eight miles from
Badfontein.
The Regiment formed the infantry advance guard of the army, and on
reaching what was then named Redvers' Kopje and afterwards known as
Devon Kopje, came under shell fire from three big guns which the Boers
had brought into action on the hills above. At this place the Regiment
stopped for the day, taking cover from shell fire behind the large
boulders of rocks of which the kopje was composed. The remainder of Sir
Redvers Buller's force returned to its old encampment of the previous
night.
The two mounted brigades and one battery R.H.A., which had advanced to
the foot of the hills occupied by the Boers, returned to camp at dusk.
As soon as it was dark, four companies of the Regiment were left on
Devon Kopje as an advanced post, whilst the remainder of the Regiment
retired to the rear of the hill and bivouacked. The kopje was entrenched
and everything made comfortable for the following day. All the baggage
wagons were sent back to the main camp during the night.
September 3rd, 4th, and 5th were spent quietly in position, the Boers on
the 5th firing over the heads of the Regiment into the brigade camp, but
doing very little damage. On the evening of the 5th a hill to the east
was shelled, and after some opposition from the Boers, when Strathcona's
Horse had some casualties, the hill was occupied by the 60th Rifles and
the Leicester Regiment. A battery of artillery was then hauled up the
steep incline to the top.
On the 6th, General Ian Hamilton having brought up reinforcements
consisting of a brigade, from Belfast by way of Dullstrom, thus turning
the Boers' right, General Buller advanced the following day and found
that the Boers had evacuated their position. But, in ignorance of this
retirement, great preparations were made for a big fight.
The Devonshire Regiment headed the advance of the infantry. It was
divided into two half battalions, one half battalion under Major Davies
proceeding up the road in support of the mounted troops, whilst five
companies under Captain Jacson were sent more to the left to attack the
large farm at the foot of the hill, with orders "to proceed as far as
possible without severe loss." These manoeuvres having been accomplished
in safety without a shot being fired, the force reached the top and
bivouacked some two miles further on for the night. Owing to the
steepness of the road the baggage did not arrive till after midnight.
Lydenburg was occupied next day without opposition, the Boers having
retired to a position on Paardeplaats, a range of high and irregular
hills five miles distant from and overlooking Lydenburg on the
Mauchberg-Spitzkop road. From this position the Boers shelled the
baggage, bursting shrapnel over it as it defiled into the open in front
of the town. The train formed up and halted under cover behind a hill,
and came into camp at dusk.
The following morning, September 8th, Sir Redvers Buller decided to
attack the Boer position on Paardeplaats, and for this purpose he
detailed General Walter Kitchener's brigade to advance up the spurs of
the hills against the Boers' right, whilst General Ian Hamilton's
brigade was to turn the Boers' left, the attack being covered by the
artillery which proceeded up the main road in the centre.
General Kitchener's brigade moved out from Lydenburg on to the
race-course. The battalion being the leading regiment deployed and
advanced towards a hill jutting out into the plain, with the mounted
brigade of General Dundonald working round the left. This hill was
afterwards known to the Regiment as Ben Tor. As the Regiment deployed
into the open it came under shrapnel fire from two big guns posted on
Paardeplaats. The Regiment was, however, extended, and had only one man
wounded.
The Gordon Highlanders, who were in support, marched across the Boers'
front, in rear of the extended Devons, in column of companies. Several
shells burst amongst them, and one shell, bursting thirty feet above
graze, took their volunteer company end on and killed and wounded
fifteen.
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