TOPIC:

Good evening forumites,
When did the battles at Christiana and Ladybrand take place?
I can't seem to find-em anywhere.
Thanks
Doug

Hello Doug

I am not aware of any battles at these towns. The garrison at Ladybrand was besieged for a week of two in August/Sept 1900.

Which units were involved?

Regards
Meurig

Thanks, Meurig,
Don't have any unit designation. Thats what I'm looking for.
I have a Webley revolver marked OVS and its holster has the name John Bester on it (in ink) and below that name is Christiana and Ladybrand and despatch rider.
Page 14 &15 show Ladybrand as a battle (?) by two OVS commandos.
Maybe he is saying he was a despatch rider for the Christiana and then the Ladybrand commando's.

The holster has the written signature J. HARMSE in large, bold Dutch/German script across the whole flap. John Bester is written 3 times in small script around the Harmse name. And someone has put 3 ink lines through the bold Harmse signature.

I suspect Harmse was the original OVS owner, long before hostilities, and was probably in the Artillery or Border Police. Then at some point Bester came into possession of it, scratched through Harmse and put his name all
over it

Regards,
Doug
.

Hello Doug

Ah, ok.

I think your theory about the commandos is more likely.

Regards
Meurig