The Battle of Belfast, also known as the Battle of Bergendal (hill and dale) began on 21 August, and lasted until 27 August 1900. It was the last conventional set-piece battle of the Second Anglo-Boer War and was fought around the farm of Bergendal near the town of Belfast. The 5,000 Boers under the command of General Louis Botha were opposing the 20,000 British Empire forces commanded by General Sir Redvers Buller. The overall British commander was General Lord Roberts whose intent was to advance and capture the capital of the Transvaal Republic, Machadodorp.

Redvers Buller began his advance on the Boer force located at Bergendal on 21 August. Following a series of skirmishes, and with the benefit of artillery superiority, his force closed on the last Boer held kopje where the 2nd Battalion The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers was involved in the final attack on 27 August. Redvers Buller wrote in his despatches to Roberts:

‘The enemy stood their ground with great gallantry, and only left their positions when the Rifles were among them and the Inniskilling Fusiliers on their flank, between 20 and 30 of them keeping up the fire until actually made prisoners.’