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The Cavalry Division charged with 6,000 horses to relieve Kimberley.
At 2am on 15th February 1900, the advance on Kimberley started in bright moonlight. The Division had 6,000 horses in its three brigades, “the largest assembly of British cavalry in history” as General French observed to his officers, “and we’re damned well going to relieve Kimberley even if we lose half of it in doing so!”
After the wire in front of the Boer position had been cut and removed, the Division charged with its three brigades following one another, straight for the Boer positions. The 200 or so Boers holding the pass fled but the majority were speared by the Lancers. General French’s division continued the charge for five miles to find that they had taken losses of only 15 men and 20 horses killed and wounded. The advance continued at a moderate pace with B Squadron of the 14th Hussars now in the lead. The Boers besieging Kimberley quickly withdrew and the Kimberley garrison rode out to meet the relieving force. B Squadron escorted General French into the town.
