THE BATTLE OF SANDFONTEIN: THE ROLE AND LEGACY OF MAJORGENERAL SIR HENRY TIMSON LUKIN

Abstract

Commemorative statues, plaques and monuments from decades pastremain widespread across both the urban and rural South Africa landscape. Includedamongst these is the stone likeness of General Tim Lukin in Cape Town: just one ofsuch structures intended to encapsulate the emotions and memories of those whocommissioned it. The South African involvement at Delville Wood ninety years agowould still resonate with some of the country’s population; those who at some stagehave delved into reading up on the history of our participation in the First WorldWar. However mention of the Battle of Sandfontein during the Union invasion ofGerman South West Africa in 1914 to the same reasonably historically literategrouping, would from the larger proportion of them, most probably elicit anadmittance of ignorance. Only the well-read enthusiast of South African militaryhistory would be aware of Lukin’s roles at both Delville Wood and Sandfontein, letalone how the latter engagement constituted one of the bleakest moments in theGeneral’s career.