1899 – The Kimberley Regiment is Formed

On 6 February 1899, two of Kimberley's leading volunteer military units—the Kimberley Rifles and the Diamond Fields Horse—were amalgamated to form the Kimberley Regiment of Volunteers.

The new regiment brought together decades of military tradition that stretched back to the earliest years of the Diamond Fields. Since the 1870s, volunteer units had helped maintain law and order while protecting the rapidly growing mining town. Over the years, organisations such as the Kimberley Light Horse, Du Toitspan Hussars, Victoria Rifles, Kimberley Scots and Diamond Fields Horse had become part of Kimberley's proud military heritage.

The timing of the amalgamation proved significant. Only eight months later, the South African War broke out, and the Kimberley Regiment found itself defending the town during the famous Siege of Kimberley. Members of the regiment served alongside local volunteers, Imperial troops and civilian defenders throughout the 124-day siege. Their courage helped protect the town until Lord Roberts' relieving force arrived on 15 February 1900. The regiment continued serving South Africa through both World Wars and remains one of the country's oldest and most distinguished military units.

Did You Know?

The Kimberley Regiment is one of only two regiments in the former British Empire to have been awarded the battle honour "Defence of Kimberley" for successfully defending its own hometown during wartime.

1900 – What Can I Eat Today?

114 days since the beginning of the Siege of Kimberley

Winifred Heberden's diary captures how dramatically everyday priorities had changed.

Having managed to obtain more chocolate, she wrote: "Got some more chocolate. One lives nowadays only to see what one can get to eat. This is the principal topic of conversation."

Her simple observation speaks volumes about life inside the besieged town. Food shortages had become an obsession, and conversations that once revolved around business, society, or the mines now centred on where the next meal might come from.

Military activity continued throughout the day. Kimberley's famous home-built gun, Long Cecil, scored several accurate shots against Boer positions, dropping shells among enemy tents at a newly established laager on Diebel's Vlei. That evening, the Boers replied by bombarding Kimberley from Carter's Ridge. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.

Did You Know?

Long Cecil was designed and built in Kimberley during the siege by George Labram and the engineers of De Beers. It was the largest gun ever manufactured in Kimberley and became a powerful symbol of the town's determination to defend itself.