The Battle of Diamond Hill
The Anglo-Boer War Battle of Diamond Hill was the largest
military engagement in the history of Pretoria. Part of it
took place on the farm Donkerhoek, therefore it is also called the
Battle of Donkerhoek. It was part of the British strategy to
drive the Boer forces to a safe distance from Pretoria immediately
after the capture of the Transvaal capital on 5 June 1900, and was
part of the Boer strategy to slow down the British advance to the
regions east of Pretoria.
On 9 and 10 June, Genl. Botha and Genl. Koos de la Rey’s forces
took up position on the hills east of Pretoria to block the road
and the railway to the east. A prominent terrain feature was
steep plateau known as Diamond Hill named when diamonds were
discovered in its vicinity during 1819’s. Lord Roberts
attacked on the 11 and 12 June and succeeded in taking Diamond
Hill. Genl. Botha feared that this would enable the British
to capture his other positions, although these were still in
place. During the night of 12/13 June he decided to break off
the engagement, evacuate his positions and retired towards the
east. The British had succeeded in driving away the Boers
from Pretoria and the Boers had achieved their aim to hinder the
British advance, therefore both sides claimed victory.
During 1904 the Transvaal Colonial Government exhumed the
remains of the falling British soldiers, scattered across a number
of farms along the battle line, and reinterred them at this
site. This became the present Diamond Hill Garden of
Remembrance when the remains of the British soldiers from other
cemeteries were also brought here in 1961 and 1962.
Official British Casualties
28 killed in action
145 wounded, of whom died later
3 missing
Official Boer Casualties
3 killed in action
27 wounded
About the Cache:
The cache can be found at S25 48.ABC E028
29.DEF
- At the listed waypoint you need to find the total number of
Australian volunteers killed in the Anglo Boer war. Use this number
and subtract 277 to calculate ABC.
- At waypoint two you need to find the metal cross on the fence
of the cemetery with the name TPR. R. McKenzie and take the number
in the centre of this cross and subtract 467 to calculate
DE.
- At waypoint three you need to find the date this second
memorial was erected in June 2000 and subtract 6 to calculate
F.
Please state at the gate (boom) you are visiting the memorial
site and cemetery.