Ambush at Tafel Kop

20th November 2025

While the first phase of the Boer War was characterised by conventional battles, the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902) saw the emergence of guerrilla tactics by the Boers. During this phase, republican forces organised themselves into smaller, highly mobile units to carry out hit-and-run attacks on railways, bridges, and outposts to disrupt British communication lines. The Boers used their mobility and intimate knowledge of the local terrain to their advantage, while the British, still rooted in traditional warfare methods, took time to adapt.

It was during one such action that British soldier, Robert William Dunham, was severely injured at Tafel Kop (‘Kop’ meaning ‘hill’ ) on the 20th of December 1901 which lead to his being awarded this casualty pair of medals Lot 25. Dunham enlisted in Kitchener's Horse on the 9th of February 1900 before later transferring to Damant's Horse.

After a night spent marching through a terrible storm, during which three soldiers were struck by lightning and killed, Colonel Damant reached a ridge and spotted a group of seventy men dressed in British uniforms moving toward him. At first, it was assumed that they were part of Rimington’s column before the disguised enemy opened deadly fire on ‘B’ squadron of Damant’s Horse. A second party of 150 Boers, who had remained carefully concealed in the long grass at the foot of the ridge, also opened fire in ambush. Before help could be obtained from Lt Col. M. F. Rimington’s column, the Boer forces seized British guns and destroyed them.

Damant's force suffered heavy losses, with Colonel Damant himself wounded in four places but ultimately, with the arrival of the larger support of Rimington’s column, the British defeated the Boers at Tafel Kop. This action saw Shoeing Smith A.E. Ind R.H.A. win the Victoria Cross for gallantry, for defending his artillery position while the remainder of his unit were shot down.

Medals and coins specialist Ned Cowell said,
"This is a wonderful Boer War medal pair to an man in an interesting colonial unit, rich with the history of the dramatic action in which he was wounded."

The Medals & Coins, Arms & Armour sale on 2^nd December includes this and other fascinating medal groups:

• Lot 25. A Boer War VC Action casualty pair of medals to Robert William Dunham, Kitchener's Horse and Damant's Horse
• Lot 2. The C.I.E. group of three awards to Captain Francis Graham Arnould, C.I.E., I.V.D., Bombay, Baroda & Central India Railway
• Lot 20. The Waterloo Medal 1815 to Captain Thomas Macky, 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons

Also included in the auction are a good number of coins, firearms, edged weapons (including Japanese swords) and militaria. View full listings on our website.