Read what happened in some of the biggest moments in South African history, where monuments are based and why they exist. Take a walk through history in our Exhibits and ready more about the struggles of the women that lived through the war.
Read what happened in some of the biggest moments in South African history, where monuments are based and why they exist. Take a walk through history in our Exhibits and ready more about the struggles of the women that lived through the war.
The Anglo-Boer (South African) War had a huge impact not only on the people who lived in the republics and colonies, but also on their animals. It is estimated that the Boers lost 100 000 horses in battle, with the British losing three times that number. The Boer horse, raised in the veld, had remarkably powerful limbs and tough hooves. Added to this, the Boers were regarded as proficient horsemen who had a deep understanding of their horses’ needs. They also taught their horses to stand still while being dismounted, whereas British soldiers needed a fellow soldier to hold the horse to dismount.
In the Boer commandos, the role of the black grooms or agterryers in caring for horses was an important one. The grooms / agterryers were also responsible for the pack horses, which carried the commando’s blankets, food and cooking utensils.
During the guerrilla phase, part of the focus of Britain’s scorched-earth policy involved the plundering or slaughtering of the horses on Boer farms. British soldiers shot countless breeding mares and young horses in pens and in the field. This was done because the British realised the importance of horses not only to the Boers, but also in the war effort, were mounted commandoes could move swiftly and evade the British forces. When there was a battle, the loss of horses to the Boers was as great as the loss of men.
The British army imported horses from Australia, Argentina, Canada, Hungary, Italy and the United States, offloading them at Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and East London harbours, and transporting them to the front lines by rail. The ships used to transport these horses had exceptional height below decks. Horse fittings and their installation onto the ships was time consuming and very costly so where possible cattle ships were used where officers and crews handled the livestock. Many horses died at sea or shortly after making landfall, having been given far too little time to rest and acclimatise after the long voyage. These imported horses were unprepared for the conditions they would face in the field, and were no match for the Boer horses. Many British soldiers could not ride, learning as they went; they often overloaded their animals, weakening and exhausting them.
A monument to all horses that served, and died, in the British army during the war was unveiled at Port Elizabeth in 1905.
Source: The Anglo-Boer War in 100 Objects and The Hall Handbook of the Anglo-Boer War by Darrell Hall.
Further reading:
Article by Prof Sandra Swart, Horses in the South African War, c. 1899-1902, Society and Animals 18 (2010) 348-366.
Afskeid (Farewell), Danie de Jager, 1986
The statue depicts a burgher mounted on his trusty steed taking leave of his wife and child on his way to the battlefront, at the beginning of the war on 11 October 1899. The sandstone base was constructed by the firm Boltstone. Money for this statue was collected by the Board of Organizations for Military Veterans, the National Women’s Memorial Commission, the SA War Graves Commission, churches and the Burgher Memorial Commission. Afskeid was unveiled on 11 October 1986 by the then Minister of Defence, General Magnus Malan.
Photo credit: Colourised photograph by Tinus le Roux
Photo credit: Original photograph from the collection of the War Museum
Mounted Boers from Field Cornet Pienaar’s commando in front of a captured train at Elandslaagte after the conflict commenced on 19 October 1899.
Photo credit: Colourised photograph by Tinus le Roux
Photo credit: Original photograph provided by Tian Schutte
Mounted Boer commando at Klerksdorp. Unfortunately, the beautiful old building in the background no longer exists.
Photo credit: Colourised photograph by Tinus le Roux
Photo credit: Original photograph from the collection of the War Museum
Unknown Boer with his trusty steed. Note the black mourning band around his upper left arm.
Photo credit: Colourised photograph by Tinus le Roux
Photo credit: Original photograph provided by Tinus le Roux
The term Agterryer refers to about 12 000 black men who served voluntarily with the Boer commandos without compensation during the Anglo-Boer War. They served mainly as grooms and cooks and on occasion performed scouting duties. Their services were highly regarded. A few were armed and took part in military engagements. The best known agterryer was Jan Ruiter who saved President MT Steyn from capture on commando. Many agterryer were killed and wounded and some were sent to prisoner-of-war camps.
Agterryer (Groom), Phil Minnaar, 2013
The Agterryer statue is dedicated to the memory of the agterryers who served with the Boers on commando. Funding for the statue was obtained from the South African National Lottery. The statue was unveiled on 24 September 2013.
War Museum Collection: 06894/00003, Karwats
A riding whip with an ivory handle used by General Louis Botha during the war.
War Museum Collection: 00079/00001, Saal
General Christiaan de Wet’s saddle, on which he spent the better part of the war. He also had two horses named Fleur (Flower) and Dapper (Courage). He gave this saddle to one burgher Bester, who had lost his saddle and bridle in a skirmish at Senekal.
Photo credit: Colourised photograph by Tinus le Roux
Photo credit: Original photograph provided by Tinus le Roux from the Rijksmuseum Archive
General Louis Botha on his white horse. He had two horses, one was named Dapper (Courage) and the other horse was named Bles (Bald).
War Museum Collection: 00291/00001, Kapkar en perde (model)
A wooden Cape cart and horses made by JH Jonker, FJF Nell, LJ Lotter and PM Myburg in the Bellevue prisoner-of-war camp at Simon’s Town. The special bond that existed between the Boer and his riding horse in peacetime as well as in wartime, is often depicted on prisoner-of-war art. The horse thus became a symbol of freedom, fearlessness and independence. The portrayal of carts with horses also indicates the Boer’s affection for horses and the longing for his farm and familiar surroundings.
War Museum Collection: 00291/00001, Kapkar en perde (model)
A wooden Cape cart and horses made by JH Jonker, FJF Nell, LJ Lotter and PM Myburg in the Bellevue prisoner-of-war camp at Simon’s Town. The special bond that existed between the Boer and his riding horse in peacetime as well as in wartime, is often depicted on prisoner-of-war art. The horse thus became a symbol of freedom, fearlessness and independence. The portrayal of carts with horses also indicates the Boer’s affection for horses and the longing for his farm and familiar surroundings.
Photo credit: Colourised photograph by Tinus le Roux
Winston Churchill after his escape as a prisoner of war from the Staatsmodel School in Pretoria: Sitting astride his grey mount in 1899, the 26-year-old is shown wearing a suit and tie and has on a wide-brimmed hat in this unique photograph.
Photo credit: Colourised photograph by Tinus le Roux
Photo credit: Original photograph provided by Tinus le Roux from a photo album in the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) Muniments Collection
Soldiers from the Royal Scottish Regiment crossing a drift on horseback.
Photo credit: Colourised photograph by Tinus le Roux
Photo credit: Original photograph provided by Tinus le Roux from Imperial War Museum website https://www.iwm.org.uk/
Troops of one of the British mounted regiments watering their horses while on patrol. They are probably servicemen of the Lothians and Berwickshire Yeomanry.
Photo credit: Colourised photograph by Tinus le Roux
Photo credit: Original photograph provided by Tian Schutte
British farriers at work. Leather aprons are worn by all farriers. If a horse pulls his leg away whilst he is being shod and a protruding nail cuts skin, it cuts deep.
War Museum Collection: Caltrop, horseshoe, horse’s bit
Caltrops, such as the one shown in the picture, were strewn around the blockhouses to injure Boer horses, thereby preventing the Boers from breaking through the blockhouse lines. The picture also contains a horseshoe and horse’s bit dating from the war period.
Photo credit: Colourised photograph by Tinus le Roux
Photo credit: Original photograph provided by Tian Schutte
The photograph is of Bittereinder Veldkornet Piet Minnaar, taken in Middelburg after peace was declared, 6 June 1902. He is wearing a British khaki uniform and also used a captured maroon blanket under the saddle, taken from the 18th Hussars. His horse called “Baby” survived a bullet wound in the right thigh during the Battle at Bothasberg north of Middelburg.
Bittereinder (Die Hard), Danie de Jager, 1994
This statue is dedicated to all the burgers (and their horses) who continued the struggle against an overwhelming British force, under very difficult circumstances, until the war ended on 31 May 1902. The then Burgher Memorial Commission raised funds for the statue. The Bittereinder was unveiled on 31 May 1994.
