HC Deb 24 April 1902 vol 106 c1173
MR. DILLON (Mayo, E.)

, I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he has any information as to the attack made by the Boers on the suburbs of Kimberley on the 28th March last, in the course of which it is alleged that they looted all the stores and houses for a distance of fifteen miles; and whether he can explain how the Boers came to be in force in the neighbourhood of Kimberley at this stage of the war.

MR. BRODRICK

It appears that under cover of an inquiry as to terms of surrender, a party of Boers under De Villiers were allowed to approach Kimberley and took advantage of this to drive oft' some cattle, getting away rapidly before they could be intercepted. De Villiers' conduct is described by Lord Kitchener as a hoax.