TOPIC:

Henk

Thank you for sharing with us another amazing part of your collection. I had not previously seen anything even remotely resembling the modern group to Commandant Spaarwater.

I first came across mention of Tjaart Kruger, son of the President, in his role as a Secret Policeman in the biography of Tom Vinnicombe, an Enlish-speaking Burger who went on the run to avoid his call-up to the Bethel Commando. Tjaart Kruger led the unsuccessful search to find and arrest him. I wonder if Veldkornet Spaarwater was also involved in this search? Vinnicombe succeeded in escaping because he was building the Dutch Reformed Church in Bethel and he was sheltered and protected by members of his community who remembered the indemnity given to him by the recently-deceased Commandant-General Piet Joubert.

Regards
Brett

Henk,

That is an amazing collection of medals. I very much like how you acquire so much original paperwork with your medals too. That makes a big difference.

Many thanks
David

A fantastic set of medals and paperwork..... The story of the family will not live on forever....

Great Job....

Mike

Splendid acquisition Henk - from your experience is it rare to find any sort of paperwork (apart from medal applications) with ABO medals?

The only I have come across is part of a diary captured by the British, translated and preserved at the National Archives. It was written by Sergeant-Major Frederich Trangott Mauchle, Transvaal Artillerie, whose ABO I have.

Regards
Meurig

Hi Meurig

Unfortunately it is not often found: usually medals to Dutch-origin recipients (like Slegtkamp and Spaarwater)have a fair amount of preserved period data/documentation.

I must also add that, having had more than 600 ABO medals passing through my collection over more than 40 years (I still have ± 280 left), increased the chances of finding those with documentation.

Henk