TOPIC:

'A hero's grave at Krugersdorp

The grave here shown is that of Captain D R Younger, Gordon Highlanders, in the cemetery at Krugersdorp. Captain Younger was mortally wounded at the battle of Wolverkrantz in a magnificent attempt to save the guns. Twice he led out a brave band of men amid a fearful murderous fire, and on the second attempt fell beside the gun wounded (mortally) in three places.'



See the post on Corporal Mackay who went out to save Captain Younger.

A detachment of the Kimberley Mounted Corps under Captain Henry G R Lambart, of the 10th division, entered Klerksdorp on 14 June 1900 and captured General Andries P J Cronjé‚ brother of Piet Cronjé, both from Klerksdorp. On 7 June 1900, Andreis received a telegram from Captain Lambart, from his base at Hartbeesfontein, informing Cronjé that Lambart urgently wanted to meet him. The Klerksdorp Record explains that 'This meeting took place in the Tivoli Hotel in Klerksdorp around 17.00 the same day. Here the captain informed him that a British force of 20 000 men were marching on Klerksdorp. This turned out to be an excellent piece of deception from the young officer as indeed the only British forces marching on Klerksdorp at that time were the 33 troopers under his command, the majority of which remained in Hartbeesfontein. He informed Cronjé that further resistance was futile as Pretoria had already fallen. Therefore, Cronjé agreed to surrender Klerksdorp without a fight, whereupon Lambart rode into Klerksdorp at the head of his force of 33 men two days later.'

The small detachment were themselves forced to surrender without any serious defence being made to a force of 600 - 2,000 burghers with three guns commanded by Vecht General P J Liebenberg, himself a veteran of both Kraaipan and Mafeking, on 25 July 1900.

Andries Cronje later surrendered and went on to lead the National Scouts, a decision that led to him being ostracised after the war.

Burgershoop Cemetery, Krugersdorp