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Floating timber across the river for Standerton bridge



Laying the rails on the damaged bridge at Standerton

Siege of Standerton (29 December 1880 to 26 March 1881)

Two companies of the Connaught Rangers under Captain Froom were transiting between Wakkerstroom and Pretoria on 21 December 1880 when they decided to base themselves in Standerton having run into a party of Boers on the 19th and received, as Lieutenant Colonel Anstruther had done, a warning about further progress. Froom replied that he had no response to give and resumed his march. While his column was watched and another ambush was planned, they were not attacked.

Arriving from Pietermaritzburg on 24 December, Major Montague, Connaught Rangers, took overall command of the garrison consisting of 3 companies of the Connaught Rangers, one company of the Rutlandshires, mounted infantry, volunteers, sappers, commissariat and hospital staff, a total of around 350 officers and men. In addition, there was a civilian population of around 70.

South of the town the Vaal River formed a natural barrier and fortifications were constructed on nearby kopjes. Fashioned from mirrors, the garrison constructed its own heliograph. A dummy gun made of wood proved an effective deterrent. The defenders would make a show of preparing the gun to be fired and then discharge several rifles, connected by a string, at the same time.

The Times correspondent was very disparaging about the town saying on 29 December 1881 that 'a more dreary spot then Standerton is scarcely to be found on the face of the earth' and 'the town itself consists of a sheds of corrugated iron, a large percentage being drinking shops'.

The first shots were fired at Standerton on 29 December 1880. Major Montague was wounded in the leg on the 30th. In a similar way to their targeting of officers at Laing's Nek, the Boers singled him out for attention as he was clearly recognisable from his uniform.

On 4 January the first sortie took place against the Boer defences on Stander's Kop from which the Boers had been able to fire down onto the defences. The Boers soon sent the attackers back to the fort. The next sortie on 7 January was against a new earthwork erected by the Boers.

Relief by General Colley was expected at the end of January but when that did not happen Major Montague became more concerned about the sufficiency of his supply. While the garrison food issue was regulated, it was not so in the town and he worried that waste and extravagance could imperil his men. He proposed to seize all the food in the town and issue it via the Landdrost.

Commandant General Joubert visited Standerton on 17 January and surveyed the town from Stander's Kop. It was imagined that an attack was planned but the need for troops to reinforce Laing's Nek meant this did not happen.

It was a month before another sortie was attempted. On 7 February, 70 infantry moved around behind a fortification held by 60 Boers, two miles from the town. Next morning some mounted infantry tried to tempt the Boers into the trap. The movement failed and the Boers engaged the infantry who were forced to return but without loss. A small group of men under Sergeant Conway returned to Stander's Kop on 24 February and were able to shoot three Boers before being hotly engaged by their comrades and forced to retreat.

An unfortunate incident occurred on 11 March. The garrison saw many Boers approaching and feared this was the foundation of a new laager and attack on the fort. The sergeant in charge of the sharpshooters fired a shot and emptied a saddle. Almost immediately, a white flag was seen and further fire ceased. As the river was in flood someone swam across and brought back news of the armistice. Major Montague wanted to hold out until British reinforcements were sent but news of the peace received on 26 March nullified this.

The siege came to an end on 25 March after 88 days. The British losses were 5 killed and 9 wounded.

The Times, 21 December 1881, carried a presentation by the volunteers to Major Montague which read: 'Before leaving the scene of your great labours we, a remnant of your old Volunteers, are desirous of presenting you with a token of our esteem and beg your acceptance of the accompanying. It will tend to refresh the memory of the siege of Standerton and events in connection therewith. It is with sad hearts we look upon your departure and of the gallant men, our old comrades, during the siege. We shall never forget you and the gallant 94th'. The address goes on to bemoan the fate of the Transvaal and says 'Although forsaken and ignored by our country, our hearts will ever warm to the sight of the national uniform ...'

To join General Joubert
Train passing through Standerton with reinforcements

Source: www.angloboerwar.com/forum/19-ephemera/3...-jack?start=36#91373

Standerton Railway Bridge, photographed by my Great Grandfather (Maj. Heath, 3rd Field Troop, R.E.) on 22nd June 1900, and by me in 1978.


Major Gerard Heath's diary entry for that day.

Friday 22nd June 1900
30 miles north to Standerton - quite a town - a good many English people and others, all flaunting red, white and blue colours - one half-drunken Uitlander was so pleased with our entry that he presented me with a bowl of eggs, which I gave mostly to the men.
The Boers went this morning or last night and left most of their women folk - also a lot of rolling stock and 18 locomotives - but they had removed the eccentric rod out of each of these so they are a present no use to us. Alas, with their last case of dynamite they blew down the railway bridge which crosses the Vaal over very high banks and will be difficult to mend. We, on the other hand, bagged 50 railway officials - but they are not of much value. A Boer lady left here tells me the Burghers were told that they would all be taken prisoners if they stayed - which of course is a lie - also Kruger sent a telegram saying we ill-treated all prisoners and women and other lies to that effect.






....."Standerton washing place", with, I believe, the road bridge in the distance (Maj. Heath)






Another image of Standerton Railway Bridge, this time taken by Lance-Corporal W.A. Bullock, R.E., who was tasked with taking official photographs of the destroyed bridges. Many of his photographs appear in Major Moore's "Detailed History of the Railways in the South African War".


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Here is a good photograph of Standerton Railway and Wagon Bridges, taken shortly after the Royal Engineers had finished rebuilding them.



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And a panoramic view ....



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