On 22 September 1901, Colonel R G Kekewich victualled at the Rustenburg Garrison and then marched his column through the Megato's Nek to Moedwil Farm, arriving there on the afternoon of 29 September 1901 after scouting for Boers along the Elands River but finding none. His camp at Moedwil was situated 25km west of Rustenburg, near a drift across the Selons River and on the road to Zeerust. There he made a bivouac site. The column of 930 men was composed of four companies of the 1st Derbyshire Regiment, four and a half squadrons of the Scottish Horse and two companies of the IY, the 27th and 48th Companies, 7th IY. He had three guns from the 28th RFA and a Vickers machine gun.
On the 28th, Kekewich despatched his supply column with an escort of one and a half companies of the 1st Derbyshire’s and come Scottish Horse to Naauwpoort via Megato's Nek for revitualling. This reduced Kekewich’s force at the farm to around 800.
Believing no Boers to be in the vicinity, the camp was not ideally suited and was visible on the skyline.
The Boers were fully aware of the column’s position and size. De la Rey ordered General J Kemp, to attack the site. A patrol of Yeomanry alerted the British troops about a party of burghers advancing towards their camp at 4:30 on the morning of 30th September and ran into so large a number of Boers that none of the patrol returned. With 280 men, General Kemp sent out two outflanking wings to surround the British camp, while the main thrust, in the centre, attacked from Selons River.
With a group of orderlies, cooks and batmen pressed into service, Major C N Watts soon realised that his own flank was not in danger so swung around to attack the Boer left along the banks of the river, with support from the infantry, mounted infantry and the Yeomanry. The Boer line along this flank was enfiladed and the burghers were forced to retire. By 6:15, the Boers were in retreat.
The Boers lost eleven killed, 35 wounded, and 10 taken prisoner.
The British lost 61 killed or mortally wounded and 158 wounded, including Kekewich.
Having lost 327 horses and many of draught animals, Kekewich moved east to Magato's Nek, just over half way between Moedwil and Rustenburg, to be refitted.
Private W Bees, Sherwood Forresters was awarded the VC for this action.
See this post for a view of the military cemetery at Moedwil and DCM gained for this action: www.angloboerwar.com/forum/17-memorials-...ary-cemetery?start=0