Did You Know?
The site near Haenertsburg, Limpopo, marks the location where the last remaining Long Tom gun of the Boer forces was destroyed during the Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902). The Long Tom, a 155 mm Creusot fortress gun, was a key artillery piece used by the Boers to bombard British positions, notably during the Siege of Ladysmith. By 1901, as British forces advanced into the northern Transvaal, the Boers were forced to retreat and destroy their heavy artillery to prevent capture. The specific gun destroyed here was likely one of the original Long Toms that had been moved northward after earlier battles. The destruction occurred in the rugged terrain of the Haenertsburg area, which was part of the Boer guerrilla campaign. The site is a tangible reminder of the final stages of conventional Boer artillery use in the war.
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