On the Cape front the British forces broke through in February 1900 and the next month they were in Bloemfontein, the capital of the Orange Free State.

The government of the ZAR and a few Boer commandos fled eastwards along the railway line to Lourenço Marques (now Maputo).

[4] The terrain at Belfast was such that it was the only place where the Boers could present a wide enough front to resist the enemy's superior force.

[5] The Boer forces were deployed as follows: North of the railway line, in a semi-circle around the town of Belfast, the Lydenburg commando was to be found on the farms Spitskop, Zuikerboschkop and Langkloof.

Their task was to enfilade the enemy with cross-fire, should they decide to take the main road to Dullstroom and Lydenburg.

[9] Next to them, but on the southern side of the railway line was a detachment of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Rijdende Politie (ZARPs), who were to bear the brunt of the British attack.

After 6 August, when Sir Redvers Buller started to advance towards Belfast, this gun was moved to position close to Elandskop.

[15] General Buller advanced to the farm Van Wyk's Vley, about eight miles (13 km) north of Twyfelaar.

[18] During Buller's advance, at a time when it was unclear to the Boers whether he was going to Machadodorp or Belfast, they removed the Long Tom from the railway truck and placed it near Elandskop.

He ordered the 8th Infantry Brigade, assisted by Dundonald's mounted troops and the South African Light Horse, to ascend the plateau and make it safe.

On the plateau they had to face the commandos from Heidelberg and Bethal, as well as Von Dalwig's guns, including two Long Toms.

[22] During the night of 23 August Buller's men on the western edge of the Geluk plateau dug in and made emplacements for four naval guns (two 5" and two 4.7").

[24] During the night of 24/5 August his men placed two 5" guns just south of the railway line and two 4.7" pieces near the Belfast station.

Pole-Carew had to extend his force northwards along the main road to Dullstroom to join French at Lakenvley.

Maurice and Grant record: "Moreover, the enemy had by no means the better of the exchanges with the heavy guns of both divisions, one of the 6-inch Creusots near Bergendal being reduced to silence by a 5-inch shell from Pole-Carew's position".

The Boers and their Long Tom beat a hasty retreat, while French cleared the rest of the burghers from Zuikerboschkop and Langkloof.

The Infantry Division experienced some cross-fire from the east and the Long Tom on Waterval fired a few shots as well.

[33] The result was that their position on the farm Bergendal (occupied by the ZARPs) stuck out like the tip of one's nose or a protuberance.

Then there was some high ground some 3,000 yards south-west of the salient angle and that was an ideal place for the artillery he wanted to use.

When the fighting stopped they found that the position had been defended by the Zuid-Afrikaanse Republiek Politie (a police force).

[37] As a result of this defeat, the Boer line of defence was breached and on 28 August Buller's troops marched into Machadodorp.

A few days later, on 1 September, Lord Roberts proclaimed the entire South African Republic British territory.