When the Second Boer War broke out on 11 October 1899, the Boers had a numeric superiority within Southern Africa. They quickly invaded the British territory and laid siege to Ladysmith, Kimberley and Mafeking. Britain meanwhile transported thousands of troops both from the United Kingdom itself and from elsewhere in the Empire and by the time the siege of Ladysmith had been lifted, had a huge numeric superiority.
Major Hubert Gough of the relieving force greets General Sir George White in Ladysmith, as portrayed in a painting by John Henry Frederick Bacon.
Piet Joubert, the Boer commander
General Sir Redvers Buller VC, Commander of the British Forces
General Buller parading in Ladysmith, after the lifting of the siege.
The Colony of Natal was a British colony in south-eastern Africa. It was proclaimed a British colony on 4 May 1843 after the British government had annexed the Boer Republic of Natalia, and on 31 May 1910 combined with three other colonies to form the Union of South Africa, as one of its provinces. It is now the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa.
Detail of a painting depicting the Battle of Rorke's Drift during the Anglo-Zulu War 11 January – 4 July 1879
First public auction of Natal sugar, Durban, 1855
