Bethal is destroyed Mrs Liebenberg, wife of a local minister, noted on her diary how Bethal was destroyed by the English troops on 21 and 22 May 1901. According to her diary, all the officials and other men left the town on the previous day. The women and children, on the 20th were removed from their homes and taken on open wagons to a hill outside town. The tarpaulin was strung over two wagons; Mrs Liebenberg spent the night under the wagons. The soldiers removed the furniture out of the houses, chopped it as firewood and gave it to the women. They spent the next two days in May cold, amid crying children, terrified they look on how Bethal went up in flames. The women were from here taken to Standerton concentration camp. On the journey and in the concentration camp, they endured many hardships arising from shortage of food, clean water and shelter. Deaths; especially among small children, were regular occurrences. The battle of Bakenlaagte, October 30, 1901 When General Botha invaded Natal again in August and September, he took most of Bethal Commando with him. Only few men under Piet Erasmus remained. Consequently Colonel Benson applied his *scorched – earth policy with little effort. On 20 October 1901 Benson left Middelburg with fresh and well equipped convoy, consisting of 1 900 men. His goal was to beat the *Bethallers and to “Clean sweep the Highveld once and for all”. Benson was a special formidable opponent. He had grasped the art of guerrilla warfare and had applied it himself. By making use of Boere traitors and working people who knew the area, he made Bethal Commando suffer very hard. Commandant Grobler returned to Bethal from Natal, commanded by General Botha, because there were British troops in Bethal. On 22 October Grobler was informed that Benson was spotted at Steenkoolspruit. Botha was informed of it and of when he showed up. Benson had his hands full with *Bethallers, reinforced by Middelburg Commando; they severely restricted his movements. Ruin of the church that was burnt down at Bethal. *See Translator’s Note (page I) 29
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