QSA To The Royal Artillery , DOW At Kleinfontein Oct 1901

QSA 3 bars Cape Colony , Orange Free State , Transvaal 28542 DR H STRASS 4:B, RFA

Henry Strass the 18 year old son of John Strass of Victoria Rd Fulham enlisted into the Royal Artillery at London in 1898.

He served in South Africa from November 1899 and died of wounded at Kleinfontein on the 24th of October 1901

KLEINFONTEIN 24TH OCTOBER 1901

On the 24th of Octoberduring themarch to Zeerust , the column under Colonel Von Donop was surprised by De La Rey at Kleinfontein . The column accompanied by a procession of 100 wagons was marching along a bad road. Patrols were working on either flank , but Yeomanry scouts were powerless

At 7am some Boers having showed themselves on high ground to the front , the advance guard guns halted and opened fire. then , without a moment's warning , some 500 Boers under Kemp Steenkemp Oosthuizen and other leaders charged down from the heights on the left in 3 ordered lines , struck the centre of the mule convoy , shot down numbers of the native mule drivers and threw the whole into confusion.

While some Boers endeavoured to drive off the wagons,the rest whirled away to their right and fell upon the rear guard , consisting of 2 guns of the 4th Battery Royal Field Artillery , a company of the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers and a company of the 5th yeomanry.

The troops , resisting with bravely,received severe punishment,. Both gun detachments were cut , the Fusiliers lost half their number in killed and wounded ,the Yeomanry a quarter of their number and half their horses, and the guns for a considerable time were in Boer hands. but , the teams having been shot down there was no means of removing them.

Meanwhile the column was cut in two ,and fully two hours elapsed before Von Donop was able to get back to the relief of the rear guard. Then the Boers,who had succeeded in driving away twelve wagons in supplies and in burning one limber were driven off

The British losses were 38 killed or died of woounds , 46 wounded and 6 missing in action

The Boers lost 20 men killed and 31 wounded

Medal with original ribbon and in toned EF condirion

Code: 51121