Battle of Driefontein
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| Battle of Driefontein | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Second Boer War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United Kingdom | |||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 Christiaan de Wet | |||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 10,000[2] |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
The Battle of Driefontein on 10 March 1900 followed on the Battle of Poplar Grove in the Second Boer War between the United Kingdom and the Boer republics, in what is now South Africa. In the first half of 1900, the British made an offensive towards the two Boer republic capitals of Bloemfontein and Pretoria.[citation needed]
British Order of Battle
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The Boer forces under the command of Christiaan de Wet were holding a 7-mile (11 km) line covering the approach to Bloemfontein. Lord Roberts subsequently ordered a division under Lieutenant General Thomas Kelly-Kenny to attack the position from the front, while Lieutenant General Charles Tucker's division moved against its left flank.[3] The Boers were subsequently forced to withdraw losing 124 men killed and captured, while the British lost 82 killed and 342 wounded.[4][5] The following two months saw Lord Roberts control the entire Orange Free State after driving the Boers out of Bloemfontein.[6]
| Infantry units | Mounted units |
|---|---|
| 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards | 2nd Dragoons |
| 1st Battalion Essex Regiment | 6th Dragoons |
| 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders | 14th Hussars |
| 2nd Battalion East Kent Regiment | 12th Lancers |
| 1st Battalion Oxfordshire Light Infantry Regiment | 16th Lancers |
| 1st Battalion Welch Regiment | Royal Horse Guards |
| 1st Battalion Yorkshire Regiment | 1st Battalion Life Guards |
| 2nd Battalion Life Guards |
