The Fett River was a tributary on the right bank of the Vaal River, itself north of the Orange River in South Africa. Where its lower reaches joined the Vaal lay the Bloemhof Reservoir of the previous life, while upstream stood Winburg, an important city of the Transvaal. It also served as the border river between the Republic of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State.
Winburg lay on the plains amid the Fett River—the river's upper reaches formed a Y shape. It had once been one of the Boer republics established by Old Piet. In 1852, it had been incorporated into the Republic of the Transvaal along with Boer colonies such as the Republic of Lydenburg, becoming the Transvaal's southernmost city.
East Africa's 513th Division had occupied the place several days earlier. After losing Pretoria, the Republic of the Transvaal's command system had effectively fallen completely out of control, making East Africa's occupation of the Transvaal exceptionally smooth.
"Once we take Winburg, everything north of the Fett River will be firmly in East African hands. South of the Fett River lies the Orange Free State. By the Crown Prince's order, after occupying Winburg, our division will use it as the center to control the northern bank of the Fett River. Unless the Orange Free State takes the initiative to provoke us, the East African Army will no longer cross the Fett River to fight." Klee Rhodes, commander of the 513th Division, said as he pointed at the map before his subordinates.
After the occupation of Winburg, East Africa's military mission against the Republic of the Transvaal was basically complete—or rather, Ernst's strategic intentions had been preliminarily fulfilled. The original purpose of attacking the Transvaal was to leave the gold mines on both banks of the Vaal River's main course