Boer forces begin the shelling of Mafeking

Background. The Siege of Mafeking was a 217-day battle during the Second Boer War, lasting from October 1899 to May 1900. Prior to the outbreak of war, Colonel Robert Baden-Powell was sent to the Cape Colony to raise mounted rifles. Defensive works, including trenches and gun emplacements, were constructed around Mafeking starting in September 1899 to prepare for potential attacks.

Defenders. Colonel Robert Baden-Powell, who had been brevetted colonel in 1897, defended the town of Mafeking during the siege. He was responsible for the fortification efforts that began in September 1899. His leadership during the siege contributed to his later prominence, including the growth of the Scout Movement, though the immediate focus here is his military defense of the settlement.

Siege Operations. The siege involved continuous shelling of the town. On 19 November 1899, 4,000 Boers were redeployed, but the siege remained active, and shelling continued. The British situation was difficult until reinforcements arrived in February 1900. The siege was eventually lifted in May 1900 by a flying column, but the initial phase of shelling defined the early months of the conflict.