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A recent City Coins purchase - Lot 227

Lewis Wilson

Regimental Sergeant Major, Nesbitt’s Horse – Anglo Boer War
Captain, Brand’s Free State Rifles – WWI

- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Cape Colony, Paardeberg, Driefontein and Johannesburg to 160 Sjt. Maj. L. Wilson, Nesbitt’s Horse
- 1914/15 Star to Lt. L. Wilson, Brands F.S. Rifles
- British War Medal to Capt. L. Wilson
- Victory Medal to Capt. L. Wilson

Lewis (or Louis as he was sometimes referred to) Wilson was born either in Swellendam or Richmond in the Cape Colony in about 1871. The confusion as to the exact location was occasioned by himself at different times in different official documents. He was born the son of John James Wilson and his wife Elsjie Jacoba Francina Wilson, born Steyn. As can be surmised from his parents names Lewis was born into a family with an English father and a Dutch mother – not an uncommon occurrence in either the Cape Colony or the Orange Free State of the times.

In 1882 when he was about 11 years old his father accepted a position as Assistant Resident Magistrate of the newly created town of Jagersfontein in the Orange Free State. Jagersfontein was the haven of prospectors and opportunists in those early days with fortunes being made and lost almost overnight – not unlike Kimberley – and the similarity didn’t end there – the mineral that was driving the markets wild was the diamond. In 1893 the Excelsior diamond weighing 971 carats was mined there.

As the town grew so too did the need for a semblance of order – from 1886 the affairs of the town were administered by a Town Management Committee and in 1904 a full-blown Town Council was brought into being with J.J. Wilson elected as the first Mayor.

But I digress – our story is about Lewis not his father. On 13 November 1890 an 18 year old Lewis was accepted into the Dutch Reform Church in Bloemfontein as a congregant. This was a temporary measure followed by his admittance into the same church but in his native Jagersfontein in November 1892. It is to be supposed, as events will show, that he tried his luck in the ubiquitous diamond trade.

War clouds were gathering, the long simmering tensions between Boer and Brit – the former being the two Dutch Republics of the Orange Free State and Transvaal and the latter the might of the British Empire – burst into open warfare in October 1899. This meant that Wilson, who had become a Burgher or Citizen of the Orange Free State, was eligible to be called upon to take up arms against the British. Many chaps were placed in this invidious position – they lived in and earned their livelihoods from the Boer Republics but were fiercely loyal to their British heritage. They were thus placed on the horns of a dilemma when war broke out.

Many took the route that Wilson opted for – fleeing to either the Cape Colony or Natal where the British Sovereign reigned supreme. Wilson, who appears to have had family connections there, fled to Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape and it was from here that he enlisted on 28 December 1899 with Nesbitt’s Horse, claiming to be a Miner by occupation. He was assigned no. 160 and the rank of Trooper. Enlisting at the same place with the same outfit on the same day was John Poulter Clover whose medals I have – strange to think they would have likely queued together to sign up exchanging a word or two no doubt as to what would lie ahead.


Being R.S.M. Wilson is most likely one of these chaps

But what of the regiment? Nesbitt’s Horse, about 300 strong, was raised by Colonel Nesbitt, "a veteran South African campaigner" in answer to the call made by the authorities for colonials to take to the field to augment the work done by the regular army. As in the case of many other Colonial bodies, the strength varied greatly in the course of the campaign, being at one time about 5 squadrons.

Part of the corps accompanied Lord Roberts in the great fighting march from Modder River to Bloemfontein, being in the 2nd Brigade of Mounted Infantry, at first under Ridley, afterwards under Le Gallais, and they were generally attached to the VIIth Division under General Tucker. On arriving at Bloemfontein the strength of the corps was officially stated at 8 officers, 119 men, and 136 horses - very few corps were so well supplied with horses. Nesbitt's Horse were with Le Gallais and Tucker in the stiffly contested battle at Karee Siding on 29th March, Le Gallais' men taking a very important share in the work. The Boers were driven from their position, and the road towards Brandfort was opened.

When Lord Roberts moved north from Bloemfontein, Nesbitt's Horse were with the City Imperial Volunteers Mounted Infantry and Lumsden's Horse in the mounted infantry corps which did the scouting work on the front and flanks of the central divisions of the army, being more particularly attached to Tucker's VIIth Division. During the whole advance from Bloemfontein to Pretoria they had work which was hard, continuous, and most responsible, and several times had sharp fighting, as at the Vet River on 3rd May, when they suffered some casualties. After Johannesburg was reached the mounted infantry of the VIIth Division were split up: neither that Division nor Nesbitt's Horse were present at the battle of Diamond Hill. Very little is known of what role they played at Paardeberg and Driefontein where most works seem to concentrate on the work done by Imperial units. Suffice it to say they were present and in as much danger thanks to the incompetence of the Imperial General there on the day as were their regular army comrades.

Wilson served with Nesbitt’s Horse until the end of April 1900 rising to the highest non-commissioned rank possible – that of Regimental Sergeant Major – before taking his discharge having fought at Paardeberg, Driefontein and the battle for Johannesburg. His Queens medal for his efforts was issued from the roll dated 15 March 1902 at Somerset East. But why had he parted company with his uniform? The war was far from over. The answer was to be found in the Thursday, March 29, 1900 edition of the Western morning News where it was reported that, on the British forces having occupied Jagersfontein, “Mr Wilson, an Attorney, has been appointed Magistrate of nearby Fauresmith.”

Having fled his home Wilson, like many others in the same boat, returned to find his accommodation looted and his possessions stolen – in the main by marauding bands of Boers. Inevitably those affected thus turned to the Compensation Board – set up for the very purpose – in order to claim some recompense from the authorities for what had been misappropriated. He was no exception and the forms that he completed in September 1903 to this end provide plenty of information about his comings and goings before and during the war.

The War Losses Commission (Kroonstad District, O.R.C.) sitting at Kroonstad on 15 September 1903 heard from “Lewis Wilson, who duly sworn states that I am a British subject and previous to the war I resided at Jagersfontein in the District of Fauresmith and I now reside at Kroonstad.”

“I was born in Richmond, Cape Colony, I was never in the Transvaal, I came to O.F.S. about twenty five years ago, I had a vote and voted for members of the Volksraad. I was registered as a Burgher, my father was born in London, he was also a naturalised Burgher. When I saw war was unavoidable I left the colony in the latter end of September 1899 to avoid being commandeered. My father remained being too old for service. I went to Grahamstown, Cape Colony and there joined Nesbitt’s Horse as a Trooper and came up country with them. On 1st May I was appointed Magistrate’s Clerk at Fauresmith by the Military Governor and held that post until the evacuation of that town. When I was transferred to Kroonstad and have remained here ever since and am now Assistant Resident Magistrate.

I rose to the rank of Regimental Sergeant Major while with Nesbitt’s, I took the oath of allegiance when I reached Grahamstown, I have one brother, he cleared into Basutoland and so far as I know was never on Commando nor any relatives that I know of. My brother-in-law served with the British in Natal. My claim is for personal property that I had to leave behind on the evacuation of Fauresmith it was my own property. I have recovered none of it, my furniture was new and my claim is a very reasonable one. I have had an advance of £100 from the Refugee Aid Department and I received two cows and some rations from the Reparations Department, Heilbron. One cow has died, I advised the authorities.”

To strengthen his case an affidavit had been obtained from Philippus Jacobus Olivier, an Attorney and Notary of Fauresmith – it read as follows,

“When Fauresmith was evacuated by H.M. Forces on the 24th December 1900, Mr Lewis Wilson, Magistrates’ Clerk, left in my charge several boxes containing a great variety of articles. These boxes were put in a vacant house of mine, and the house was securely locked and the key kept by me. Not long after the evacuation a commando of Boshof Boers under a certain Commandant Jacobs came into the town. The Commandant came to me and demanded the keys of my office and the vacant house in which the boxes of Mr Wilson were stored along with others belonging to the Resident Magistrate and others.

He stated that it had been reported to him that I had a great quantity of “Jingo” stuff, and that he wanted it. I protested, but he informed me that if I did not hand over the keys he would break open the doors. I then went with him and unlocked the doors. He then caused a number of his men to break open the boxes of Mr Wilson, and removed a large quantity of goods. The next day I packed what was left back into boxes and closed them again.

When General De Wet was driven out of the Cape Colony at the end of February 1901, a number of men under the command of a certain Captain Bosch, who I ascertained was from the Kroonstad district, kicked open one of the doors and ransacked the goods of Mr Wilson, and also removed a quantity of goods. What was left was so damaged that I left everything lying as it was.

Later on the Resident Justice of the Peace, whom the Boers had appointed at Fauresmith, came and took away practically everything which was left. On this occasion one of the Boers, David Tromp of Fauresmith district, discovered a secret drawer in one of Mr Wilson’s boxes and took two gold watches which he found in it.

I always endeavoured to be present when the Boers were ransacking the property left in my charge, as I considered the owners would have a legal claim against the looters, and I could then bear witness in the cases. It is my intention to sue several Fauresmith Boers for the value of the property taken from me. The Boers were particularly spiteful against Mr Wilson because he had borne arms against them.

When I left Fauresmith on 12 June 1901 all Mr Wilson’s property left in my charge had been destroyed or removed.”

An earlier statement taken from Wilson on 13 March 1902 at Kroonstad read thus,

“I lived at Fauresmith and at present I am Resident Magistrate’s Clerk at Kroonstad. I was a Burgher of the Free State but I was never on Commando. In September 1899 I left the Free State and went to Grahamstown where I joined Nesbitt’s Horse as a Trooper. I fought under Lord Roberts at Paardeberg and was with Lord Roberts when he arrived at Karee Siding in May 1900. I took my discharge having been appointed Magistrate’s Clerk by the new government at Fauresmith. I stayed there in that capacity till December 1900 when I came to Kroonstad. I took over my duties here after leaving Fauresmith. I was at Edenburg for five months waiting for a vacancy which occurred at Kroonstad in May 1901 when I took on my duties.”

The upshot of all of this came with the Finding of the Special Commissioner “That Claimant is entitled to be considered a British Subject, he is now Assistant Resident Magistrate in Kroonstad and is well thought of, there is no doubt as to his loss and I should say his claim was a reasonable and should be paid in full.” Mr Grant, Wilson’s boss and the Resident Magistrate (who also happened to be the Special Commissioner) concurred – “I agree (he said), Mr Wilson my A.R.M., had married shortly before the war and all his household effects were new. His claim (£243.00) is very reasonable. Claim should be paid in full.”

The payment of the claim (minus the money already advanced) settled the matter once and for all and Wilson was free to go about his business. The Morning Post of Friday, November 8, 1907 under the banner “Colonial Civil Service” announced that “Mr C.W. Pritchard, Assistant Resident Magistrate for Winburg, Orange River Colony, has become detached A.R.M. at Reitz in place of Mr Lewis Wilson who has been transferred to Winburg.” (Both these towns are in the Orange Free State). Up until this point in time he had led an untarnished life with an unblemished reputation to match but this was all about to change.

Criminal Record No. 245 of 1909 for the District of Winburg revealed the flip side to Mr Wilson. The case, the King v Lewis Wilson, was one where he was charged with Theft by Commission; the trial date being set down for 4 December 1909. Wilson was described as being 39 years old and born at Swellendam in the Cape Colony and was by trade or occupation Assistant Resident Magistrate residing at Winburg. Having heard the evidence against him and having been cautioned that he was not obliged to make any statement that may incriminate him he “admitted his guilt” and went further to state that “I do not want any witnesses to appear to give evidence against me.”

But what had bought Wilson so low? The answers were contained in the indictment which read thus,

“That Lewis Wilson, Assistant Resident Magistrate for Winburg in the Orange River Colony residing at Winburg in the said district, is guilty of the crime of Theft;

First:- In that, upon the 27th day of July in 1909 and at or near Winburg, the said Lewis Wilson did wrongfully and unlawfully steal money amounting to the sum of seven pounds ten shillings and sixpence sterling the property of the Government of the Orange River Colony.

Secondly: - In that, on the 18th September in the said year Lewis Wilson did wrongfully and unlawfully steal money to the sum of six pounds and eighteen shillings sterling, the property of the said Government.

Thirdly: - In that, upon a certain date in May the said Lewis Wilson did receive and take into his possession from Thomas James Haskins, a ganger in the Central South African Railways, residing at No. 54 Cottage, in payment for school fees in respect of Johanna Hoskins money amounting to twenty-eight shillings sterling, yet Lewis Wilson not regarding his duty in that behalf did not pay the money to the Government but on the contrary did convert and appropriate the same to his own use and thus did commit the crime of theft.

Fourthly:- In that, upon a certain date between the thirtieth day of September and the first day of November in the said year Lewis Wilson did receive and take into his possession from Kanteen Klaas, a native residing at Brakvlei money amounting to the sum of ten pounds sterling, his property, in payment for medical attendance rendered by the said Government to Kanteen Klaas, yet Lewis Wilson not regarding his duty in that behalf did not pay the money to the Government but on the contrary did convert and appropriate the same to his own use and thus did commit the crime of theft.

Fifthly: - In that, on the 27th day of October the said Lewis Wilson did receive and take into his possession from Fred Drewitt, a Corporal in the Orange River Colony Police residing at Ventersburg, money amounting to the sum of five pounds twelve shillings and sixpence sterling, in payment for fees collected for assizing weights and measures and the property of the said Government but on the contrary did convert and appropriate the same to his own use and thus did commit the crime of theft.

Sixthly: - In that, on the eighteenth day of November the said Lewis Wilson did receive and take into his possession from Max Siew, manager of the Imperial Bottle Store at Winburg, money amounting to the sum of nine pounds and eighteen shillings sterling, the property of Solomon Smulowitz residing at Ladybrand in the said Colony, in payment for customs duty on certain liquor but on the contrary did convert and appropriate the same to his own use and thus did commit the crime of Theft.”

Faced with this barrage of charges and having already admitted his guilt the court “at a Criminal Session at Bloemfontein on Saturday the 4th of December 1909 before the Honourable Sir Andreas Ferdinand Stockenstrom Maasdorp, Chief Justice of the Colony – The prisoner Lewis Wilson charged with the crime of theft being arraigned pleaded guilty. Mr P Fischer prosecutes on behalf of the Crown. Mr Streeten appears for the accused.

Sentence: - Nine months imprisonment”

So there it was for all to see – Wilson was now a jailbird. Despite his wife appealing for clemency he sat for the duration although part of his sentence might have been commuted for good behaviour.

It has to be said that, in most cases, a man who has been in a position of power and influence and who is then toppled from his pedestal and brought low has some difficulty in coming back from the abyss. Not so Lewis Wilson! A mere five years later the Great War burst upon the world stage and a 43 year old Wilson rushed head-on to meet it, enlisting with Lt. Colonel Pyper’s 5th Regiment of the 5th Mounted Brigade for service in German South West Africa with the commissioned rank of Lieutenant and with effect from 21 October 1914.

But before Wilson and his comrades could take the fight to the Germans they had a far more thorny issue to deal with at home – many Free State and Transvaal Boers, disgruntled by the Government’s decision to fight with the British (their sworn enemies of only twelve years prior), decided to take up arms against Louis Botha and his army. They joined Commandos and confronted the Union forces pitting, in some cases, brother against brother, in an internal rebellion. Botha was forced to delay his invasion plans to first subdue the rebels and it was to outfits like Brand’s Free State Rifles (Wilson’s regiment) and part of the 5th Mounted Brigade that he turned. Was this Wilson’s chance to get back at those in his district who had stolen his property and labelled him a “Jingo”? We will never know but he was active in quelling the rebellion.

A graphic description of an action that took place right on Wilson’s doorstep is contained on page 68 of the book Urgent Imperial Service by Gerald L’ange it reads as follows:

Making only one brief stop in the march from Winburg, Botha’s force reached Mushroom Valley just before dawn on November 12 (1914). Lukin, Brits and Brand (Wilson’s outfit) were moving into position. As the dawn light spilled into the valley, Botha, sitting on his camp stool, turned his binoculars on the tiny figures of De Wet’s commando, 4000 yards away.

Loyal commandos began galloping hell-for-leather on either flank. The rebels were beginning to stir round their cold campfires when Botha gave a curt order: “Skiet” (Shoot). The first shell bursting above the camp had a galvanising effect on the rebels. Abandoning everything but their rifles De Wet’s men leaped on their horses and raced out of the valley.”

Once order within South Africa’s borders had been restored the fight went to German South West Africa and Wilson with it as part of the 5th Mounted Brigade’s Left Wing. From the same book, on page 295, comes the following account as the German campaign was nearing an end:

“The official history of the campaign says that Manie Botha’s 5th Brigade had been ordered to advance to Otjikurume, south of the Elefantenberg, where the Germans were believed to be strongly positioned. The brigade encountered the German outposts while it was still dark ‘and rushed them at such a rate that they had no time to let off the rockets and light signals prearranged to warn the main body’.

A regiment of the 5th Brigade under Lt. Colonel Pyper was sent swinging out to the west and came in to attack Otavi from that direction, the open side, expediting its evacuation by the Germans.”

Wilson was promoted to Captain and Adjutant with effect from 1 July 1915 – the war in German South West came to an end a week later on 9 July with their surrender at Otavi and Wilson was free to return home. For his efforts he received the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

Perhaps with this last war he had redeemed himself of his earlier transgressions.

Rory
Thank you for another interesting story. This is the first time that I have read of compensation being paid in full. Given the ways of the world, it was no doubt due to Wilson being well connected. Unusually, there was retribution later when he turned out to be a cad after all, and then his status did not help him. With the books of fate balanced, he redeemed himself during WWI. This could be the sub-plot in a modern soap opera.
Regards
Brett

Thank you Brett - yes I also found it odd that he was compensated in full. His was also the first group of medals to a chap who applied in the OFS - all my other claimants lodged their applications in the Transvaal. I wonder if this had anything to do with it?

What I so like about the compensation claims and this one in particular is the mention of the perpetrators (where known) by name; Captain Bosch and David Tromp spring to mind. What a feat it would be to acquire either or both of their medals - assuming they were issued with one!

Regards

Rory

Thank You Rory......

Though not always said, I do appreciate all the hard work that you put into your research......

Thanks again......

Mike