Event information
The Magersfontein Battlefield can be found 31.5 kilometres south of Kimberley. It’s the site of a skirmish that took place on 11 December 1899, during the Second South African War between the Boers and the British.
Today there are formal tours of the battlefield conducted by experienced guides. These tours add much value to a visit with audio-visual accounts of the actual battle, and a trip up the hills and into the trenches. The outings also included a visit to some of the graves of fallen Boer fighters.
The museum was renovated and revamped in 1999, and now provides visitors with a contemporary perspective of this historical event. Numerous artefacts from the battlefield can be seen: these include examples of uniforms worn by the leading role players, as well as a selection of firearms used by British and Boer forces.
A hilltop memorial close to the museum commemorates the Scottish dead, while the Royal Highlanders (Black Watch) monument honours the men of the 2nd battalion who died during the battle.
Two more notable memorials are those of the Scandinavians who fought alongside the Boers, and an imposing Burgher monument to the north-east of the main Magersfontein Hill. Information on the battlefield is available at a cafeteria.
