The Battle of Stormberg 1899, was one of 3 disastrous British defeats in the same week during the Boer War 1899-1902.

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Nearly 3,000 British troops were killed, wounded or captured during a 5 day period which the press named "Black Week."

This video is part of a series that I am compiling about the Anglo Boer War.
Here are some others:
A Summary of the Boer War
   • Boer War, South Africa 1899-1902:  A ...  

The Jameson Raid 1895
   • The Jameson Raid,  South Africa 1895  

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The British defeat at Stormberg was as much of their making as it was a Boer victory.
A lack of accurate maps or intelligence along with little experience of night time manoeuvres lead to the British getting hopelessly lost.

The brave attempts by the Northumberland Fusiliers and the Royal Irish Rifles to storm the mountain held by the Boers ended up in them being shelled by their own artillery.

All the while, accurate Boer rifle fire was taking its toll. Over 100 of the British force of 3,000 were killed before the order to retreat was issued.

Even at that stage, the chaos continued with many of the British troops on the mountain failing to receive the order. They were left on the hillside, as the British retreated.

Finding themselves 8 miles from safety, with Boers surrounding them and with water supplies diminishing in the African sun, they surrendered.

The British defeat at Stormberg cost them over 100 killed and wounded and nearly 600 taken prisoner.

it was the first of three costly and embarrassing defeats that the British were to suffer in "Black Week".

The British commander, General Gatacre, had been a rising star in the army but within months found himself back in England and within 5 years his career was over.

Chapters
0:00 Boer War
3:48 Redvers Buller
6:20 General Gatacre
8:30 Battle of Stormberg
10:55 Black Week
12:18 The History Chap

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My name is Chris Green ("The History Chap") and I am on a mission to share the amazing history of Britain so that we can appreciate where we have come from and why we are here.

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Disclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of Chris Green Communication Ltd t/a The History Chap. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. Chris Green Communication Ltd does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, violence or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.