TOPIC:

He was my great grandfather and, I believe, a bittereiner. He was born on 1 May 1869, passed away 7 April 1955. Any further information on him would be appreciated.

Jacomin,

The first place to check for Boer soldiers is the medal roll for the ABO. On page 88 there is a Hendrik Johannes Beltzaser serving in the Lichtenburg Commando and a Hendrik Schalk serving in the Middelburg Commando. There is no Hendrik Wilhelmus.

This could be because he did not apply for his ABO after the war.

The ABO roll is a useful starting point as the forms completed to apply for the medal give some information of where the man faught, in which Commando etc.

Best wishes
David

Hi Jacomin

He is not on the Prisoner of War Register.
Henk

Jacomin,

What information do you have to suggest he was a bitter-ender?

Dear David,

Thank you for your research and reply. I have attached my grandfather's obituary, which is the only information I have. According to this, he was wounded in battle and taken to hospital in the same ambulance as Lord Methuen. However, Lord Methuen was wounded during the battle of Tweebosch on 7 March 1902, so my grandfather could not have been wounded during the battle of Rooiwal on 11 April 1902, as stated in the paperclip. If he had been wounded during Rooiwal, I believe he should have been listed as a POW. The dates of both battles are at the very end of the war, and thus he can be regarded as a 'bittereinder'. The discrepancy regarding the battle may have been as this obituary was written about 50 years after the war.

Thank you again David and Henk for your time to research this matter.
Regards,

Jacomin

Thanks very much for this info
Regards