Battle of Witpoort

Battle of Witpoort
Part of Second Boer War
Battle of Witpoort, South African War Memorial (Halifax), Nova Scotia
Date 16 July 1900 Location Witpoort, South Africa Result British Empire victory
Belligerents
British Empire  Canada New Zealand Queensland  United Kingdom	South African Republic
Commanders and leaders
Major-General Edward Hutton, Major Frederick Henry Munn	General Ben Viljoen, Roland Schikkerling
Casualties and losses
7 killed 30 wounded 2 officers and 22 soldiers captured	2 killed 7wounded

The Battle of Witpoort was fought during the Second Anglo-Boer War. Major Frederick Henry Munn commanded the detachment of the Royal Irish Fusiliers at Witpoort which was attacked on 16 July 1900, his orders being to "hold his position at all costs". The Boers called on Major Munn to surrender, but, scornfully refusing, he held out from daybreak till 2 pm, when the Canadian forces mounted a counterattack and the Boers retired. The battle became famous because of the death of Harold Lothrop Borden.