This is a remake of the original blockhouse cache placed here in 2007 by Team_Olo that has since been archived (GC182QC).
To access the cache, you need to get into the grounds of the War Museum of the Boer Republics. The cost to access the grounds is free though if you wish to enter the museum (unnecessary for the cache), a fee of R30 is payable. You will need to show your driver's licence as you drive in though.
Visiting hours
Weekdays
08:00 – 16:00
Saturdays
10:00 – 17:00
Sundays
11:00 – 17:00
Public Holidays
09:00 – 17:00
The block house (and the chains thereof) was a strategy borne out of 1898 American war in Cuba and used by the Brits to protect their railway line from Boer guerilla fighters.
Inititially, Lord Roberts had set up a few forts to protect the line but when he, in Jun 1900, thought that the War was over, he handed over command to Lord Kitchener. Kitchener had his hands full when the attacks started rising and realized he'd needed thousands of forts. The initial block houses cost between £800 and £1,000 and took some 3 months to erect.
He decided that some sort of prefab was required and went with a design by Major S. R. Rice. Some 8000 in total were built in the War.
The block house here could be erected in 6 hours by 6 men at a cost of £44 which further dropped down to £16 when the roof was made more efficiently.
There are several other blockhouse caches in the country. My favourite is the now archived (GC6JYVZ) in Fouriesburg. Others around the country include:
GC250E N1 Stilfontein Blockhouse
GCWMPF Boer Block - WC
GCX1HD Boer Block 3 - WC
GC1T6FH Swartkop Trail #5: East Blockhouse
GC27MYJ Krakedouw blockhouse
GC2C2T3 Swartkop Trail #6: West Blockhouse
GC3GYM2The Harrismith Blockhouse
GC5K1F6 Cloete's Pass Block House
GCAT9BF Prince of Wales Blockhouse
GCAY3AF Queen's Blockhouse
GC3RDAQ Orange River Octagonal
GC1W768 The Fort at Barton’s Folly
GC21CWN Mackerel Bay
GC48E5A Anglo/Boer War 1.1 : Stormsberg Junction
GC7AHXG Blokhuis
This corrugated iron blockhouse originally stood on the north-eastern side of Naval hill Bloemfontein and was most probably used to protect the railway line to the North and the British military camp in the vicinity.