Lot Essay
Private W. Kerr was taken prisoner in the disaster at Zilikat's Nek on 11.7.1900. During the Guerilla War he was wounded in the ambush at Groenfontein on 30.12.1901 (see Lot 1058 for details).
Zilikat's (or Uitral's) Nek was in the country to the west of Pretoria and it was over this territory of the Western Transvaal that de la Rey exercised a practically independent and certainly unconquered command for the last two years of the War. Following the occupation of Pretoria in June 1900, De La Rey and his forces lay low for a month and re-organised. When he began to operate in the Rustenburg area against Baden-Powell and Barton, Roberts send them reinforcements from Pretoria, including the Scots Greys and four guns of 'O' Battery Royal Horse Artillery. These were ordered to hold the strategic heights of Commando Nek and Zilikat's Nek.
On 11.7.1900 the Boers launched four separate assaults on these positions of which three were successful. Zilikat's Nek was held by one Squadron of the Greys, three weak Companies of the Lincolnshire Regiment and two guns. They were vulnerable to attack from the summits of the two shoulders adjoining the Nek. In the early morning and under cover of darkness two parties of 200 men each climbed the shoulders and attacked the central kopje. From their dominating position they launched assaults up both sides of the Nek. The defenders fought on through the afternoon but their situation was hopeless. Of the 240 men on the position at daybreak, 17 were killed, 55 wounded and 189 (including wounded) taken prisoner. It was an important position that was weakly held and the disaster was made even more remarkable by Roberts' failure to send any reinforcements from Pretoria to assist the beleagured troops. De la Rey's victory gave heart to his Commandos and spurred them on to challenge British supremacy in the area.
Zilikat's (or Uitral's) Nek was in the country to the west of Pretoria and it was over this territory of the Western Transvaal that de la Rey exercised a practically independent and certainly unconquered command for the last two years of the War. Following the occupation of Pretoria in June 1900, De La Rey and his forces lay low for a month and re-organised. When he began to operate in the Rustenburg area against Baden-Powell and Barton, Roberts send them reinforcements from Pretoria, including the Scots Greys and four guns of 'O' Battery Royal Horse Artillery. These were ordered to hold the strategic heights of Commando Nek and Zilikat's Nek.
On 11.7.1900 the Boers launched four separate assaults on these positions of which three were successful. Zilikat's Nek was held by one Squadron of the Greys, three weak Companies of the Lincolnshire Regiment and two guns. They were vulnerable to attack from the summits of the two shoulders adjoining the Nek. In the early morning and under cover of darkness two parties of 200 men each climbed the shoulders and attacked the central kopje. From their dominating position they launched assaults up both sides of the Nek. The defenders fought on through the afternoon but their situation was hopeless. Of the 240 men on the position at daybreak, 17 were killed, 55 wounded and 189 (including wounded) taken prisoner. It was an important position that was weakly held and the disaster was made even more remarkable by Roberts' failure to send any reinforcements from Pretoria to assist the beleagured troops. De la Rey's victory gave heart to his Commandos and spurred them on to challenge British supremacy in the area.