• 21 Aug, 2019

• By, Wikipedia

Battle Of Chieveley

 South African Republic

• Italian Volunteer Legion

Commanders and leaders Charles James Long
Aylmer Haldane Louis Botha
Camillo RicchiardiStrength 120 men ~200 BoersCasualties and losses 2 dead
20 wounded
80 captured unknown

The Battle of Chieveley took place on 15 November 1899, and was an ambush on a British armored train travelling from Estcourt to Colenso in a reconnaissance mission. Boer forces under the command of Louis Botha, which comprised primarily the Italian Volunteer Legion, ambushed the armored train, and derailed it, taking most of the British soldiers prisoner. Commanding the British forces on the armored train was Colonel Charles James Long, who had received reports a day earlier about Boers in the area, hence the reason for sending out the armored train.

On 15 November, Colonel Long organized a reconnaissance force to head from Estcourt to Colenso, as they had received reports of Boers heading towards Estcourt and Weenen. The train passed Frere station, and Natal Police reported that all was clear ahead. The train continued towards Colenso when they passed a Boer position 600 yards away from them. The artillery on board the train opened fire, followed in quick succession by the riflemen, and the train reversed in order to get closer to the Boer position. Just a bit further past was a ridge, in which Boer artillery and a Maxim "Pom Pom" was situated. The Boers opened fire with their artillery and derailed the three train cars. Winston Churchill, who was present as a correspondent, along with Lt. Frankland, managed to pile the wounded onto the engine, whilst Captain Haldane held off the Boer forces. The engine was still operational, and Churchill and Frankland sent the train down towards Estcourt, where it reached safety. Churchill then returned to the battlefield to assist Haldane in holding off the Boers. The rest of the forces present tried to hold off the Boers, with a few managing to head back to Estcourt. The rest of the British force was captured by the Boers.