Relief of Ladysmith | |||||||
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Part of Second Boer War | |||||||
Major Hubert Gough of the relieving force greets General Sir George White in Ladysmith, as portrayed in a painting by John Henry Frederick Bacon. | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
United Kingdom |
South Africa Orange Free State | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Redvers Buller |
Piet Joubert Louis Botha |
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.