Английская Википедия:Battle of Helvetia

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Шаблон:Infobox military conflict The Battle of Helvetia was an engagement in the Second Boer War fought by Boer and British troops on 29 December 1900 in Helvetia 10 km north of Machadodorp, eastern South African Republic.

Battle

Boer troops under Vechtgeneraal Chris Muller and overall command of General Ben Viljoen won a surprise victory over the British forces of Major Stapleton Lynch Cotton (1860-1928), attacking them from east and west at dark before daybreak. The Boers numbered about 580 men (or 350[1]), while the British forces were only about 350 men strong, however boasting a 120mm (4.7 inch) naval cannon.[2][3][4] Muller and his troops took 235 prisoners of war and the cannon. After burning British army stocks, Boer troops fled for oncoming British reinforcements.[1]

Aftermath

Muller later became particularly famous for the capture of this cannon, jokingly called the 'Lady Roberts'.[5] Major Cotton, 1st Battalion King's Liverpool Regiment, was convicted of quitting his post at Helvetia, but acquitted of neglect of good order and military discipline.[6]

Literature

Файл:The Boer War. The Reverse at Helvetia - The Argus (Melbourne), 2 January 1901.jpg
Newspaper report in The Argus (Melbourne), 2 January 1901: The Boer War. The setback in Helvetia.
Файл:Colonel Stapleton Lynch Cotton (1860-1928) by Bassano Ltd, 1915.jpg
Stapleton Lynch Cotton (1860-1928).

References

Шаблон:Reflist

External links

See also

  1. 1,0 1,1 Viljoen 1902.
  2. Шаблон:Cite book
  3. Шаблон:Cite book
  4. Шаблон:Cite book
  5. The cannon's name referred to Nora Henrietta Bews, the spouse of the British Commander-in-Chief Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts.
  6. Шаблон:Cite journal Page 330.