The Battle of Leliefontein (also known as the Battle of Witkloof) was an engagement between Canadian/British and Boer

Boer

Boer is the Dutch and Afrikaans word for farmer, which came to denote the descendants of the Dutch-speaking settlers of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 18th century, as well as those who left the Cape Colony during the 19th century to settle in the Orange Free State,...

 forces during the Second Boer War

Second Boer War

The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...

 on 7 November 1900, at the Komati River 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) south of Belfast

Belfast, Mpumalanga

Belfast, now also known as eMakhazeni, is a small town in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa ....

 at the present day Nooitgedacht Dam.

It was during the fiercely contested British withdrawal from the banks of the Komati River

Komati River

The Komati River is a river in South Africa, Swaziland and Mozambique. It is long, with a drainage basin in size. Its mean annual discharge is 111 m³/s at its mouth...

 that the Canadians of The Royal Canadian Dragoons, 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles and "D" Battery Canadian Field Artillery, led by Lieutenant-Colonel François Louis Lessard were tasked with covering the withdrawal of the larger British force under the command of Major-General

General

A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....

 Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien

Horace Smith-Dorrien

General Sir Horace Lockwood Smith-Dorrien GCB, GCMG, DSO, ADC was a British soldier and commander of the British II Corps and Second Army of the BEF during World War I.-Early life and career:...

. The Royal Canadian Dragoons would save two Canadian guns during the battle. Three dragoons, Sergeant

Sergeant

Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....

 Edward James Gibson Holland

Edward James Gibson Holland

Major Edward James Gibson Holland VC was a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.- Early life :Holland was born in Ottawa, Ontario, and attended Lisgar...

, Lieutenant

Lieutenant

A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...

 Richard Ernest William Turner

Richard Ernest William Turner

Lieutenant General Sir Richard Ernest William Turner VC, KCB, KCMG, DSO was a Canadian army officer during the Boer War and World War I, and a recipient of the Victoria Cross...

 and Lieutenant Hampden Zane Churchill Cockburn

Hampden Zane Churchill Cockburn

Major Hampden Zane Churchill Cockburn was a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....

, would win the Victoria Cross

Victoria Cross

The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....

for their actions.