FS0003

Did You Know?

The Seinflag stasie (Signal Flag Station) on the roof of the Garfield Hotel in Jacobsdal, Free State, dates to 1899, during the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902). This station was used by Boer forces to communicate using flag signals, a method of visual telegraphy that allowed messages to be relayed across long distances without the need for telegraph wires, which were vulnerable to sabotage. Jacobsdal, located near the Modder River, was strategically important during the early phases of the war, particularly during the Siege of Kimberley (October 1899 – February 1900). The Garfield Hotel, a prominent building in the town, served as a vantage point for signaling operations, likely coordinating troop movements or relaying intelligence between Boer command posts. The site is a rare surviving example of Boer military communication infrastructure from the conflict.

AI-assisted · may contain inaccuracies