TOPIC:

Going through some of my old write-ups, I happened upon the story of Albert Edward Brown - I had forgotten that he had been POW whilst with the South African Constabulary - can anyone shed some light on what action/battle took place here on 27 October 1900? What follows is a quote from him:

Sir, I have the honour to submit the following application for a duplicate of my discharge from the Cape Mounted Riflemen. The original discharge was taken by the Boers on the occasion of my being captured by them at Reddersburg on the 27th October; it was sewn up in the breast pocket of my tunic which they took.

Hello Rory
The only action I could find regarding 27th of October was the Jacobsdal seige. However it is about 130 miles from Reddersburg. The main Reddersburg action occured in April 1900 when Christiaan De Wet engaged the Royal Irish Rifles. I have enclosed a brief note on Jacobsdal. But really cannot be sure your man was there or was captured at Reddersburg.....

25-27 OCTOBER 1900 JACOBSDAL SIEGE
“The story of Jacobsdal was one of carelessness and bravery. Here were 45 Cape Town Highlanders, 8 police, and a 15-pounder, manned by some Colonial Volunteers. The men were lodged partly under canvas on the market square, partly in houses near at hand. In the night of October 25… 70 Boers under Field Cornet Bosman crept up the bed of the Riet River which runs through the town and gained some houses commanding the tents of the sleeping Volunteers. Opening fire at 3am, they killed 14 and wounded 13 of the 34 men in the tents.
Those in the buildings held out until a relief party of 54 men arrived from Modder River. On the next day the town was evacuated, only to be immediately reoccupied by the Boers.” Source-Times History, Vol V, p25-6

I'm tending to agree with you Dave. He could have been one of the 8 police referred to.

Hello Rory

His capture, or any captures at Reddersburg and Jacobsadal are not mentioned in the list of Surrenders (WO108/372), which is not unusual, just infuriating for researchers.