Our view shifts to the Western reaches of South Africa - the south western to be specific. Last week we watched how Winston Churchill as captured at Chieverly south of Colenso on the main line to Ladysmith where the wretched 13 000 British troops were surrounded by Boers. That was near the mighty Tugela River.

Now we’re near the Orange River, the longest in South Africa. It lies North of Cape Town between the port and Kimberley. The decision had been taken for the British Army Corp central group to push on over the river and towards Kimberley where Cecil John Rhodes had been telegraphing almost daily that the city was soon to be overrun by Boers.