Today in Kimberley's History
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122 days since beginning of the Siege of Kimberley, 1900
Extract from "The Diary of a Doctor's Wife – During the Siege of Kimberley October 1899 to February 1900" by Winifred Heberden.
To-day has been the worst in the way of shelling. The gun from Carter's Ridge fired shrapnel all day.
People in the Kimberley Mine on the l00ft level are all right, though they have to use a ladder. But those lower down in De Beers Mine are not so happy. Two children have died already. A few people came up, but when a big shell fell near them they hurried down again.
Some Natives turned up at Beaconsfield barrier with the information that the majority of Boers had temporarily left Alexandersfontein, and believed it was to fix up a new gun on Spitzkop some 3 000 yards away. These Natives seized the opportunity and 'trekked'. Their word being believed, Major Fraser, in charge of the Beaconsfield Town Guard, at once proceeded to Alexandersfontein with his men and found it was as the Natives had said. He at once occupied it without waiting to communicate with Colonel Kekewich. There they were, reinforced by half our Mounted men, the big gun from Kamfersdam hysterically bombarding the Camp as they were leaving it.
A good many of the Lancashires, also two field guns, some maxims, and last, but not least, the ambulance, all went off to the scene.
When Jack got to Alexandersfontein three guns were playing on our men there, one a Hotchkiss. They had a very hot time of it, though the excellent cover already prepared by the Boers for themselves, saved any loss of life.
Their shelter was literally crammed with vegetables, food-stuffs, and many luxuries, such as butter, that we have so long done without. Two waggons and spans of oxen were captured also 20 more fat beasts. About 20 horses, and many mules and donkeys besides 10 rifles and a waggon load of ammunition.
A Dutchman ran round and round the waggon firing at our men, so they had to shoot him. The shot passed also through the shoulders of a woman and her child who were in the waggon. She remarked, afterwards, that it served her husband right for getting in the way! When Jack dressed her wound she smiled at him, and the baby appeared to feel no pain at all. Six prisoners were captured, two of them being wounded. We saw the ambulance coming in with our three wounded and the two Boers. The prisoners looked very surly, and were glancing around to see what damage their shells had done but could have got poor satisfaction from what they saw.
A large number of waggons had to be employed to bring in the most welcome addition to our food supplies. Jack dashed in during the afternoon and brought a pillow case full of new potatoes and onions, some of the feathers of the ripped-open case still sticking to the vegetables. These, with some marrows, constituted Jack's share of the 'loot'.
Later, however, Major Gorle, A.S.C. had to stop all food-stuffs that our men were bringing in for themselves at the Barrier, and commandeered them for sale. They had already brought in ducks, geese, and fowls. Even pigs had been hoisted on to carts and waggons. Jack received orders to go out to the scene again, which the Boers had begun to assail more hotly, and there he stopped all night. Woodruffe, of the Ambulance Corps, coming in for blankets, cooked food, and brandy, late in the evening, left a plateful of butter on the verandah, without saying anything so we only found the plate!
Extract from "The Diary of a Doctor's Wife – During the Siege of Kimberley October 1899 to February 1900" by Winifred Heberden.
To-day has been the worst in the way of shelling. The gun from Carter's Ridge fired shrapnel all day.
People in the Kimberley Mine on the l00ft level are all right, though they have to use a ladder. But those lower down in De Beers Mine are not so happy. Two children have died already. A few people came up, but when a big shell fell near them they hurried down again.
Some Natives turned up at Beaconsfield barrier with the information that the majority of Boers had temporarily left Alexandersfontein, and believed it was to fix up a new gun on Spitzkop some 3 000 yards away. These Natives seized the opportunity and 'trekked'. Their word being believed, Major Fraser, in charge of the Beaconsfield Town Guard, at once proceeded to Alexandersfontein with his men and found it was as the Natives had said. He at once occupied it without waiting to communicate with Colonel Kekewich. There they were, reinforced by half our Mounted men, the big gun from Kamfersdam hysterically bombarding the Camp as they were leaving it.
A good many of the Lancashires, also two field guns, some maxims, and last, but not least, the ambulance, all went off to the scene.
When Jack got to Alexandersfontein three guns were playing on our men there, one a Hotchkiss. They had a very hot time of it, though the excellent cover already prepared by the Boers for themselves, saved any loss of life.
Their shelter was literally crammed with vegetables, food-stuffs, and many luxuries, such as butter, that we have so long done without. Two waggons and spans of oxen were captured also 20 more fat beasts. About 20 horses, and many mules and donkeys besides 10 rifles and a waggon load of ammunition.
A Dutchman ran round and round the waggon firing at our men, so they had to shoot him. The shot passed also through the shoulders of a woman and her child who were in the waggon. She remarked, afterwards, that it served her husband right for getting in the way! When Jack dressed her wound she smiled at him, and the baby appeared to feel no pain at all. Six prisoners were captured, two of them being wounded. We saw the ambulance coming in with our three wounded and the two Boers. The prisoners looked very surly, and were glancing around to see what damage their shells had done but could have got poor satisfaction from what they saw.
A large number of waggons had to be employed to bring in the most welcome addition to our food supplies. Jack dashed in during the afternoon and brought a pillow case full of new potatoes and onions, some of the feathers of the ripped-open case still sticking to the vegetables. These, with some marrows, constituted Jack's share of the 'loot'.
Later, however, Major Gorle, A.S.C. had to stop all food-stuffs that our men were bringing in for themselves at the Barrier, and commandeered them for sale. They had already brought in ducks, geese, and fowls. Even pigs had been hoisted on to carts and waggons. Jack received orders to go out to the scene again, which the Boers had begun to assail more hotly, and there he stopped all night. Woodruffe, of the Ambulance Corps, coming in for blankets, cooked food, and brandy, late in the evening, left a plateful of butter on the verandah, without saying anything so we only found the plate!
ANC recalls Jacob Zuma as President of South Africa - 2018
On 18 December 2017, Cyril Ramaphosa was elected to succeed Jacob Zuma as President of the ANC at the ANC Conference at Nasrec, Johannesburg. Subsequent months saw growing pressure on Jacob Zuma to resign as President of South Africa, culminating in the ANC "recalling" him as President of South Africa. Facing a motion of no confidence in parliament, Jacob Zuma announced his resignation on 14 February 2018, and was succeeded by Cyril Ramaphosa the next day.
On 18 December 2017, Cyril Ramaphosa was elected to succeed Jacob Zuma as President of the ANC at the ANC Conference at Nasrec, Johannesburg. Subsequent months saw growing pressure on Jacob Zuma to resign as President of South Africa, culminating in the ANC "recalling" him as President of South Africa. Facing a motion of no confidence in parliament, Jacob Zuma announced his resignation on 14 February 2018, and was succeeded by Cyril Ramaphosa the next day.