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EFV, thank you. I found it very moving to read this correspondence.
Rob

Kommandant H.C.W. Vermaas to Officer in Charge of Her Majesty’s troops Mafeking.

This post concerns a poignant message by H.C.W. Vermaas (ABO, DTD) Kommandant of the Lichtenburg Commando, regarding two of his burgers missing. Kommandant Vermaas was an interesting character. DJB wrote about him in a dedicated thread: “Hendrik Cornelius Wilhelmus Vermaas (1851-1927) was a well-to-do farmer of the present Ottosdal District. He became an Assistant Fieldcomet of a Lichtenburg ward in 1885 and represented Lichtenburg in the Second Volksraad from 1891 to 1896, but when he stood for the First Volksraad he was defeated by the sitting member, J H de la Rey. In 1898 he was promoted Commandant and with 200 men he was involved in the first battle of the Anglo Boer War (Kraaipan, 12 October 1899) where the British armoured train “Mosquito” was derailed. According to the “Dictionary of SA Biography” Vermaas took the surrender of Lt Nesbitt the next morning. He subsequently saw action at Modder River, Magersfontein and Kimberley. In Feb 1900 he retreated to Christiana and in a telegram from there urged Pres Kruger to conclude peace. After more than a month, following threats that the government would suspend him from office, he returned to the front. After June 1900 he operated mainly in the Western Transvaal and in November 1900 he refused the offer of the rank of General. He was active in numerous skirmishes, including the attack on Lichtenburg (3 March 1901) and the Battle of Tweebosch (7 March 1902) where Lord Methuen was wounded and captured.”

Over the duration of the war, Kommandant Vermaas had four horses shot from under him and was wounded twice, once by a cartridge booby-trapped with dynamite. With exception of the one-month interruption mentioned above, Vermaas was in the field from literally the first shot at Kraaipan until the conclusion of the peace talks at Vereeniging.


On November 13 of1900, 4 days after the skirmishes at nearby Wonderfontein, Vermaas writes “from Head Quarters” at Lichtenburg to the Officer in Charge of British troops at Mafeking.

Honorable Sir,
I herewith send my Ambulance to look for two of my missing Burgers namely Philip Grobler of Doornbult, Lichtenburg and Hendrik Fourie, Rhenosterdoorn. First named Burger has, according to my information, been shot and killed in the vicinity of Elandsputten and could not be located by the Ambulance. It has been impossible for me to obtain any information about the last-named Burger. Please let me know if you happen to know more regarding these two Burgers and provide my Ambulance with the necessary information.
By so doing, you would greatly oblige me.
Your Obedient Servant,
H.C.W. Vermaas, Lichtenburg District


This message ended up on the desk of Col. Belfield that very same day. Belfield immediately sent a request to the O.C. the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers, enquiring after Fourie. He received a hastily scribbled response by a certain Money (probably Lt. Col. G.C.G. Money although the initials don’t seem to match) stating Fourie was his prisoner.



Philip Lodewijk Grobler died, according to the database of the Bloemfontein Museum, at Wonderfontein (Jeppe 78 L.) when he was just 24 years old. Vermaas writes in his message that Grobler was reported having been shot at Elandsputten, which is located on the farm Welverdiend (249) just south of Wonderfontein. Grobler’s body eventually must have been found as he was buried at Doornbult (112), a farm a few miles south of Lichtenburg. There are two Doornbult farms on Jeppe’s Map south of Lichtenburg; Doornbult 50 is bordering Rhenosterdoorns and Doornbult 112, where Grobler was buried, is located a few miles further to the south. Grobler’s residence address was only listed as Doornbult without a Jeppe number indication. It is likely though that both Doornbult farms were owned by the Grobler family.

The message from Money to Belfield concerning Fourie being under his guard is confirmed by information gleaned from the Bloemfontein Museum website. 22-year-old Hendrik Jacobus Fourie was reported to have been captured at Wonderfontein on the 9th of November, and subsequently deported to St. Helena. Given the facts that Grobler and Fourie both fought in the same commando, that they were close in age and that the Fourie’s family farm Rhenosterdoorns (67) is in the immediate vicinity of Grobler’s Doornbult 112, it is certain that Philip Grobler and Hendrik Fourie knew each other well, perhaps even were close friends. Also, because families at the time were very large by modern standards, it is more than likely that immediate family members of Philip and Hendrik were on commando with Vermaas, making the above message even more urgent and depressing than it appeared on first glance.

For the interested reader looking for further context of this post, there is a riveting article by D.Y. Saks written in 1994 “A Dawn Raid at Wonderfontein” which is accessible on the website of the South African Military History Society. ( samilitaryhistory.org/vol095ds.html )

Lord Methuen to Generaal Lemmer

During the skirmishes and battles over the months of November and December 1900 in the western districts of the Transvaal, Vecht Generaal Lemmer sent a few messages to Lord Methuen along the lines of “Your letter has been well received, thanks.” I omit these from this thread as they respond to messages which were not present in Belfield’s file. Belfield did, however, preserve an under-copy of an interesting message that Lord Methuen sent to Lemmer on the 12th of December. On that date, Methuen was camping out on the farm Zamenkomst (Jeppe 250) just north of Lichtenburg on the road to Ottoshoop.

From: Lieut. General Lord Methuen, KCOOCB, etc. Commanding 1st Division
To: Fighting General Lemmer
Zamenkomst, 12 December 1900
Sir,
I have informed you I intended to repair the telegraph line from Ottoshoop to Lichtenburg, and that if damaged I should have to adopt the severe measures ordered by Lord Roberts. I regret to find my request has been disregarded. The line from Ottoshoop to Zeerust I found cut in August, I burnt a house in the vicinity, and the line has been intact since. I am burning a house here today and trust I may have no further occasion to act with such severity as I have not burnt a dozen houses since the commencement of the war.
I have the honor to be, Sir, Yours faithfully
……….. Lt. General Commanding 1st Division.

Koos DelaRey, one of the greatest Boer Generals, was subject to serious criticism, even a court martial, when, in the later stages of the war, he released Methuen after capturing him during the famous battle of Tweebosch (March 7, 1902). Methuen had been more or less seriously wounded and was in need of medical care that the Boers were not in a position to provide. Beside medical, DelaRey had other reasons for letting Methuen go and the above letter shines some light on one of the motives behind his unpopular* decision. During his tenure in South Africa, Methuen had steadfastly acted fairly and decently towards his opponents and had thereby gained the respect of many Boer Commanders. Methuen’s fairness and decency can be recognized between the lines of the above message. Even though the message he sent to Lemmer was unpleasant in nature, he makes it clear that he is no supporter of the scorched earth policy ordered by his superior and that he only executes such orders with reticence.

*DelaRey’s decision to send Methuen back to his own lines was not only humane but also strategically sound. Methuen was the only British General to ever fall into Boer hands. His death in captivity, or execution as demanded by DelaRey’s burgers, would not only have led to serious repercussions in the field, it would also have rejuvenated a by then war-tired jingo press and probably would have killed off the chance for peace negotiations in the immediate future.

Correspondence between Kommandant J.D.L Botha and Lord Methuen

The British policy of concentrating women and children in camps greatly angered the burgers on commando. To them their families had been taken prisoner with the single view of blackmailing the Boers into surrender. On the 18th of December 1900 Kommandant J.D.L Botha writes a courteous but firm message (not reproduced here) from the farm Rietvallei (possibly Rietvlei 5 or Rietvlei 91 located northeast of Ottoshoop) to Lord Methuen at Ottoshoop, again imploring the release of Boer families and in particular a Mrs. Susanna Kornielja Jacobs, whose husband is dying.

On 28 December 1900 Methuen responds with a message to Kommandant J.D.L Botha and Kommandant Vermaas. If at that time there still had been any burgers on commando puzzled about the true objectives behind the establishment of concentration camps, this message would have provided clarity.

Sir,
I am moving as many families to a laager at Mafeking as I can accommodate. I am only sending families whose relations are on commando. They will be treated with kindness and are not in any sense of the word prisoners. If at any time their relations fighting against me wish to surrender with their arms, they can do so and join the laager at Mafeking. They can bring their stock with them. I have been forced from the commencement of the war to burn very few houses and I again warn you that almost the only cause for me having to do so is the destruction of the telegraph line from Mafeking to Zeerust and Lichtenburg. If, therefor, you neglect my warning, you must be prepared for the officer commanding my column at Mafeking adopting severe measures.
Your faithfully,
(signed) Methuen

Reception of this message was confirmed by Acting Kommandant of the Marico commando J.H (Kootje) Snyman, a 62-year-old Transvaal veteran. Snyman (who served as a General in the early stages of the war but proved ineffective and subsequently demoted) announced that a response would be forthcoming the following day.

The unambiguous response by J.D.L. Botha that followed on December 30 probably shocked the British Lord out of his starched Jodhpurs. Botha, clearly very angry, fires the following salvo from Ottoshoop:

Honorable Sir,
Owing to circumstances I was prevented from sending you a reply on the day promised by my representative but do so now. With reference to the removal in captivity of women and children, I wish to state that this is an illegal and very disgraceful act, contrary to civilized laws and usages of war. These families desired nor required your care and have been forcefully removed against their wish and will or ordered by you to go and, in case of they refused, were to be removed by force. To all intents and purposes, they are prisoners and are herewith requested to be released; Inform me when they will be sent back.
I will hold you responsible for all inconvenience and harm that befalls these families.
Your cajoling promises to burgers who lay down arms are simply dismissed out of hand as they will fight to the death.
With regard to the telegraph lines, I will act in accordance with the usages of war and will destroy these whenever military operations render such necessary. Therefore, assign responsibility for such actions to the commando and not to the owner of the farm on which the destruction took place.
Signed J.D.L Botha, Kommandant Marico

Superb!
Thanks for sharing this.
Rob

Everhard,

What extraordinary survivors; and important documents with regard to British policy re farm burning and concentration camps.

As you say, Methuen's message certainly would have provided clarity for the burghers then, as it does for historians today.

Neville