Deelfontein Military Cemeteries
Photo: Arnold van Dyk
Location
Deelfontein, Northern Cape Province, South Africa
Deelfontein is approximately 42 km south of De Aar OR 49 km north of Richmond. There is a 10km length of gravel road that needs to be transversed.
Take the R48/R388 from de Aar to Richmond for approximately 32 kms. Turn right at the Deelfontein turnoff close to where the road passes the old railway siding. Follow the gravel road for approximately 10 kms. The cemetery is visible as a fenced rectangular enclosure with grave markers on the right of the road.
The Smaller Cemetery is approximately 250 metres from Main Cemetery
GPS: Main Cemetery: 30 deg 59 min 46.3 sec S, 23 deg 47 min 33.6 sec E
Smaller Cemetery: 30 deg 59 min 54 sec S, 23 deg 47 min 43 sec E
Photo: Arnold van Dyk
Significance
The Imperial Yeomanry Hospital, which later became 21 General Hospital, at Deelfontein was one of the largest and most sophisticated British military medical complexes of the Anglo Boer War.
The Main Cemetery has 129 graves. The Smaller Cemetery has 5.
Photo: Arnold van Dyk
Photo: Arnold van Dyk
Further reading:
DEELFONTEIN (A hospital in the Karoo
during the Anglo-Boer War, a cemetery today) by S A Watt