Interested Military Historians may need to start considering how to protect important Military graves and this one is no exception. The St John’s Church has been abandoned and is now a Pre-School. The graveyard is unkempt and is being encroached on all side by Bruntville Township. It’s only a matter of time before the vandals will move in.
Fortunately the ornate wooden lychgate at the entrance to the graveyard has been relocated to the Church in Mooi River.
Major General Sir Edward RP Woodgate KGMC GB was Commander 1st Batt. 4th King’s Own ( Royal Lancaster) Regiment.
He was wounded on January 21, 1900 at the battle of Spionkop when Gen. Redvers Buller was making his second unsuccessful attempt to lift the siege of Ladysmith, after Colenso. At the time Woodgate was commanding the Lancashire Brigade.
The General was taken from the battlefield but died of his wounds at the Mooi River Military Hospital on 23 March 1900.
Major General RP Woodgate’s grave
St John’s Church – Mooi River – now a Pre-School.
Major General Woodgate’s grave