During the Boer War, Piet De Wet Captures the Thirteenth Battalion of the Imperial Yeomanry at Lindle

During the Boer War, Piet de Wet, a Boer general and younger brother of the more famous Christiaan de Wet, captures the 13th Battalion of the Imperial Yeomanry at Lindley, Orange Free State, in May 1900. To British observers, this battalion represented the social and political showpiece of the newly raised Imperial Yeomanry, a volunteer cavalry force created in response to early British setbacks in the war.

Among the captured were a notable contingent known as the “Irish Gentlemen” or the “Irish M.F.H.s” (Masters of Foxhounds), made up of wealthy landowners and aristocrats from Ireland who had volunteered with patriotic fervor. Their capture caused public embarrassment in Britain, both because of the high-profile nature of the unit and due to the surprise of their defeat by Boer commandos using guerrilla tactics.

The incident underscored the challenges the British faced in the Boer War and served as a cautionary tale about underestimating the tactical skill of Boer fighters.