Hello
Having a quick look at the location of Graafwater I pulled these three entries from the gazetteer I wrote with my father, A Gazetteer of the Second Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902 (Military Press, Milton Keynes 1999)
Graafwater: a village in the Cape Colony (Clanwilliam district; Western Cape), 30 km west of Clanwilliam. Yielding his defensive positions along the Great Berg River on 20 October 1901, Senior Cmdt S.G. Maritz withdrew his forces in small groups which were later re-united to the north at Graafwater. HMG IV p.359 (map no.63).
Lambert's Bay: a bay on the west coast of the Cape Colony (Clanwilliam district; Western Cape), 60 km west of Clanwilliam. The small fishing village of Lambert's Bay dates from 1913. Variant: Lambertsbaai (Afrikaans spelling). Some burghers from Asst Chief-Cmdt J.B.M. Hertzog's commando reached the bay in early January 1901 anticipating a ship from Europe bringing reinforcements and materiél; they fired at H.M.S. Sybille lying in the bay which returned their fire. Reitz says the burghers were from Senior Cmdt S.G. Maritz's commando. On 31 December 1901 a blockhouse line was completed from Clanwilliam* to Lambert's Bay; it had taken two weeks to construct. HMG IV p.365 (map no. 63); Times V pp130-131 and 401 (map facing p.412); Reitz p.241.
Clanwilliam: a town in the Cape Colony (Clanwilliam district; Western Cape), 70 km north of Piketberg. The district was very sympathetic to the Boer cause. A column commanded by Lt-Col T. Capper occupied Clanwilliam in August 1901. In October, however, it was overrun by the commando of Senior Cmdt S.G. Maritz although he was pushed back later that month. A blockhouse line from Clanwilliam to Lambert's Bay* was completed on 31 December 1901. In early 1902, the town was the headquarters of a column led by Lt-Col C.T.McM. Kavanagh which was harried by Veg-Gen B.D. Bouwer's commando. HMG IV pp.355, 358, 359, 365 and 460 (map no.63); Times V p.541.
Sources:
Times = Times History of the War
HMG = Official History of the War
Reitz = On Commando, Deneys Reitz
There was quite a bit of military activity round about and a blockhouse line was bulit from Clanwilliam to Lambert's Bay, any evidence of this today?
What was the name of the farm in 1899-1902?
There are no recorded British casualties for Graafwater but there are for Clanwilliam and "near Clanwilliam" and "near Lambert's Bay", given the imprecision with which the British recorded casualty locations some of these may be Graafwater or "near Graafwater" !. Are there any military graves at Graafwater?
Are there any names that can be dated to 1899-1902? If so, could you list them and they may be able to be identified.
Regards
Meurig
