VRYHEID BLOKHUIS 1901. This Block House was on a high rise east of Scheepersnek on the road between Vryheid and De Jager’s Drift, occupied by the South Lancashire Regiment. The Corrugated Iron structure with earth and rock is surrounded by a barbed wire fence and ramparts. in front is a saluting uniformed dummy holding a flag In the foreground laid out in white stones are regimental insignia and the word “South Lancs” (Photo donor A.J. Ray  Australian War Memorial)

.After the war, the corrugated iron was removed and used in farm dwellings. The Property changed ownership a few times and so the history of the place was lost.  The existing landowner did not realise the significance of the site or its history. It was thought to be just a cattle or calf pen. In the late 1990’s it was converted it into a “man cave” retreat. Only when start building, and Boer War artefacts and British money was retrieved from the walls surroundings, it was realised that it might have been a Sanger or some kind of a Fort.

SOUTH LANCASTER REGIMENT 

Vryheid Police Station and Courtroom.  Note the British flag and uniformed British Soldiers

Signalling from Vryheid town to the garrison on top of Lancaster Hill. From there heliograph communications was established in Dundee via Bigarsberg and Talana to Dundee. (Photos from Nico Moolman)