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My name is Hendrik Greyvenstein and currently doing background research for a movie script that I am writing about the Missing Kruger Millions. During my research I have come across several references to a wounded 6th Inniskilling Dragoon soldier that fell in love with an Afrikaans nurse in Waterval Onder. I am trying to find out the name of this soldier as I wish to incorporate him into my story. Legend has it the couple both perished on 30 August 1900 when the British forces took over Waterval Onder, days after Pres Kruger left for Lourenso Marques. Mosambique. Their ghostly apparitions have since been meeting at a peppercorn tree (ghost tree) in the town of Waterval Onder. Howver, in the 1960's the tree was blown over in a severe storm and since then no sightings have been reported. I also found out that Lt Lawlor, whom may have been part of a rescue force to relive him died in the attempt while charging the town. Lt Lawlor's gravesite is still at Waterval Onder. Any information on the unknown soldier would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Hendrik


Lawlor, John Lawrence, Lieutenant. He died of wounds at Waterval Onder on August 30th 1900. He was born February 1874, entered the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons from the Militia, December 1896, and was promoted Lieutenant March 1898. He was adjutant of his regiment from February 1900, and accompanied it to South Africa in November 1899, where he saw much service in the north of Cape Colony, at the relief of Kimberley, and the advance on Bloemfontein.
Source: Donner

Regards
Adrian

Hi Hendrik

And 1 more bit of info:


On Page 84 of Colonel Yardley's book, we are told how, from Driefontein: "Lieutenant Raymond Johnson, Inniskilling Dragoons, with six men, cleverly found his way, during the night, with General French's Despatches to Lord Roberts at Germiston. He had to elude several parties of the enemy, but returned safely, after a night full of adventures, his mission safely accomplished. He was accompanied by Mr Paterson, the Australian poet and correspondent". On 30 August: "President Kruger was reported to have been at Waterval Onder the previous day, and General French was anxious to obtain news. So B Squadron of the Inniskillings, under Major Dauncey, was ordered to descend to the town and bring away the prisoners we had taken, among whom was a wounded soldier of our own. The enemy, hidden in the rocky kloofs and bush beyond the town, completely commanded the drift and approaches, and also the town itself. The squadron gained the town, galloping over the exposed ground through a hail of bullets. Lieutenant Lawlor, at the head of his troop, was mortally wounded, shot through the body. He was a fine officer and a great loss to the regiment, and died cheery and brave to the last. Major Dauncey himself, charging in advance of his squadron, with Lieutenants Lawlor and Johnson, was grazed by two bullets, but the town was reached. In it none could show without being shot, so cover was taken in the buildings and the prisoners were not brought away till darkness ensured a safe return".

Regards

Adrian

When I was researching van Niekerk heratige and a keen ZAR collector and Boer war collector and believes the Kruger millions exists.
2 reasons:
1. A letter from a boer sent to his girl friend, telling him that when he get out of prison they would be wealth and they must look north of Pretoria to be wealthly. He died. Letter was opened by the British.
2. An van Niekerk killed another solder near Kimberley and went to jail, told his mates in jail about the Millions in gold that was hidden by the boers. He broke out of jail and got caught again and put in jail. He again escaped and got killed.

I still think the Kruger Millions did not go to Mozambique, but most likely north , may be even close to Polokwane (Pietersburg towards Mozambique area).
The normal train route would have been to dangerous with the gold and the Brittish would have known the route.

Paul Kruger's Budler was also a Gert van Niekerk and received a gold tickey when Paul Kruger left as a reward for good service.

Gert Daniel van Niekerk

Thank you Adrian. I have also read Colonel Yardley's excerpt from this website. The soldier I suspect to be the one I'm looking for is quoted in the sentence "among whom was a wounded soldier of our own"" from the paragraph provided above.

An article in the New Zealand paper (Queenslander dated Sept 8, 1900) stated that 20 boxes of gold from Waterval Onder/ Machado Dorp were handed over to the boat Capt in Delagoa Bay, Yet, these also contained blank coins and to date very few blank coins remain or even exist to my knowledge. Unanswered questions remains about the whereabouts of 134 gold bars, which were unaccounted for during a post war inquiry.

No blank Kruger pounds exist to my knowledge. These I assume were melted in Holland, but 134 gold bars remain in RSA, hidden within a cave, AS a theory goes I suspect (Leopard's Cave) along the Swazi Land Border. Presume we can believe tales by FRitz Joubert , this was all part of an agreement between Fritz Joubert and a local African tribe. Charged with guarding the gold, the tribe was offered two oxen in return for killing the remaining two boers whom helped guard the transport wagon filled with gold, which was placed in Fritz Joubert's care. Somewhere, in the Lydenburg district.

Question is of course? Was one of the two boers, held captive by the tribe, a Van Nieker.? It could collaborate a theory of escape and attempt to return the cave.