Siege of Ladysmith the siege an agreement between George Stuart White and Piet Joubert led to the creation of the neutral "Intombi Military Hospital" some outside Ladysmith. This was run by Major General (later Sir) David Bruce and his wife Mary. During the siege, the number of beds in the hospital camp grew from the initial 100 to a total of 1900. A total of 10,673 admissions were received and treated at Intombi. One train per day was allowed to carry wounded from Ladysmith to Intombi. , Being a Regimental History of the 1st Battalion Devonshire Regiment during the Boer War 1899–1902. Deals
Siege of Mafeking acted as messengers and orderlies and released men to fight. Work to build defences around the perimeter of Mafeking started on 19 September 1899; the town would eventually be equipped with an extensive network of trenches and gun emplacements. President Kruger of the Boer South African Republic declared war on 12 October 1899. Under orders of General Cronje the Mafeking railway and telegraph lines were cut the same day, and the town began to be besieged from 13 October. Mafeking was first shelled on 16 October after the British commanders ignored Cronje's 9 o'clock deadline to surrender. Colonel Baden-Powell had