Our Heritage

SANDY GRANT | Friday March 26, 2010 00:00

 

The caption to this remarkable photo, which was published in the 28th April edition of the Illustrated London News states that this is 'Mochudi' Station (sic), base camp of Rhodesian force. The photo is included in Rob Burrett's recently published book, Plumer's Men' being a history of the Rhodesia Frontier Force expedition led by Lieutenant Colonel H.C.O. Plumer which worked its way southwards until it successfully relieved Mafikeng. Burrett positions Pilane's role in this war, as follows:

'Certainly many on both sides of the conflict felt that Linchwe would throw in his lot with the Boers, most especially after his ill-treatment by the BSACo when it had appropriated some of his land for the Railway Reserve. To assure his continued allegiance Llewellyn again attempted to reach Mochudi on the 31st  October but the worst was anticipated. Much to his surprise while on route they came across Segale, Linchwe's brother, who reported Boer intentions to loot the Mochudi Road Station that very day and he requested Rhodesian help to prevent it.

Speeding south the Rhodesians drove off a Boer patrol that was caught in the act of attempting to wreck the crossing over the Kalakane Stream. The Rhodesians temporarily occupied the station and the damaged bridge was later repaired that very evening. Meanwhile on the 3rd November Lieutenant-Colonel G.L. Holdsworth left Bulawayo for Magalapye accompanying two further armoured trains and 200 members of the SRV and BSAP. He had been briefed by the Imperial authorities to win over Kgosi Linchwe, as well as to organize greater resistance to the Boer advances in the southern parts of the Protectorate. On the same day, 3rd, one of the existing southern armoured trains again went towards Mochudi Road Station, but much to their extreme annoyance it was found that the same Kalakane Bridge had been damaged yet again. At the same time scouts of the PNP reported that the Boers were actively engaged in looting the abandoned properties in both Lobatsi and Fort Gaberones, carrying off the spoils to Derdepoort in wagons. On the 4th November, Holdsworth arrived in Mochudi town while the armoured trains finally got through to the nearby station on the 5th and 6th.

The station and nearby store now became the headquarters while several railway carriages were brought down the line to act as accommodation. This was thereafter the main Imperial position in the area. A supply base and field hospital were established slightly further up the line at Molotwana and the remains of several men who died during the next few months are interred in a small cemetery adjacent to the original camp. It was these events and the seizure of BaKgatla livestock by Commandant Rickert of Derdepoort that finally persuaded Kgosi Linchwe to side with the Imperial cause. He promptly ordered the Boer forces out of Bakgatla territory.'