SPANDOW/SPANDAW – H.J.A.

Note:
IN HIS BOOK “IN THE SHADOW OF DEATH” GENERAL P.H. KRITZINGER DESCRIBES THE ACTION AS FOLLOWS:-
“WHILE OPERATING IN THE CRADOCK DISTRICT I LEARNT THAT A CERTAIN CAPTAIN SPANDOW, WITH ABOUT NINETY MEN, WAS ON THE TRACK OF A SMALL PARTY OF BOERS. ABOUT HALF AN HOUR AFTER SUNRISE WE UNEXPECTEDLY LIGHTED ON THE PICKETS OF THE ENEMY, WHO CAMPED FOR THE NIGHT IN THE WATERKLOOF VALLEY, TWENTY MILES FROM CRADOCK.  THE PICKETS WERE CHARGED AND CAPTURED, AND WE SEIZED A POSITION HARDLY 200 YARDS FROM THE ENGLISH, WHO HAD OFF-SADDLED AT A WALL.  A BRISK FIRING FROM BOTH SIDES ENSUED.  THE WALL SERVED THE ENEMY IN GOOD STEAD. GRADUALLY WE CREPT NEARER, UNTIL AT LAST A FEW OF THE BURGHERS HAD PASSED THE WALL, AND WERE NOW ON THE SIDE OF THE ENEMY, SO THAT THE WALL COULD AFFORD THEM NO COVER.  WHEN I SAW HOW UNTENABLE THEIR POSITION WAS BECOMING I SENT A FLAG OF TRUCE, ASKING THEM TO SURRENDER, SO AS TO AVOID UNNECESSARY BLOODSHED.  ONE OF THE OFFICERS SENT WORD THAT, SEEING CAPTAIN SPANDOW HAD ALREADY FALLEN, AND  THEIR LOSSES WERE SO GREAT, HE CONSIDERED FURTHER RESISTANCE USELESS.  WE FOUND THAT 15, INCLUDING THE CAPTAIN, WERE KILLED AND 14 WOUNDED.  SIX OF THE WOUNDED SOON AFTER THEIR SURRENDER.  OUR LOSSES WERE 1 KILLED AND 2 WOUNDED”.