The Battle of Talana reenacted

THIS PAST Saturday saw the the annual commemoration and battle reenactment of the Battle of Talana at Dundee, the first major battle between the Boer Republics and the British empire 116 years ago at the start of the Second Anglo-Boer War.

Commanding the battle was General Lucas Meyer, then President of the Nieuwe Republiek, with Vryheid as the capital. Similar to the the battle 116 years ago, a large contingency of Vryheid “burgers” partook in the reenactment.

Visitors to the Talana Museum at Dundee, were delighted by Boer and Brit battling each other for control of Adelaide farm. Boer forces were supported by their artillery regiment, which saw the debut of their field artillery named “Kryger”.

The Bittereinders, a Boer reenactment group, fought the Dundee Diehards as a living-history initiative between descendants of Boer and Brit.