
Episode 13 - The Battle of Colenso
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So here we are, the battle of Colenso, December 15th 1899. Four Victoria Crosses were awarded in this clash but it also led to defeat for the British who stumbled repeatedly under the command of their beloved yet faulty Sir Redvers Buller. The Boers, although victorious, began to appreciate the true fire power their opponents possessed. It’s also a battle that led to the death of a Field Marshall’s son Freddie Roberts. The end of the battle saw the stretcher bearers called "bodysnatchers" which included Mahatma Gandhi. Queen Victoria's beloved grandson was wounded in this battle which was incredibly one-sided where the British lost over 1137 casualties, the Boers, around 38.