TOPIC:

Stephanus Johannes Oosthuizen

Killed in Action/Died of Wounds – 24/26 October 1901

Commandant, Pretoria North (Pretoria-Wes) Commando – Anglo Boer War

- Dekorasie voor Troue Dienst (D.T.D.) KOMDT. S. OOSTHUIZEN.
- Anglo Boere Oorlog Medal to KOMDT. S. OOSTHUIZEN.
- Lint voor Wonden (LvW) - Wound Ribband

Stephanus Oosthuizen was, according to some reports, the right-hand man of none other than General Kemp during the Anglo Boer War. He was also one of only three officers Killed in Action who were also awarded the Lint Voor Wonden, the norm being that this was not awarded to fatalities.

Born on the farm “Wonderfontein” in the district of Potchefstroom on 30 May 1859, Oosthuizen was the son of Marthinus Johannes Oosthuizen and his wife Susanna Magdalena Sophia, born Loggenberg. As was often the case in late Victorian times, the Boer families measured their wealth in children as much as in money, cattle or land. A simple God-fearing people, most were drawn to agricultural pursuits where the more mouths there were to feed, the more labour there was available for the chores on the farm.

Mrs Oosthuizen didn’t disappoint in this department and, growing up in the sparsely populated Western Transvaal, Stephanus would have been kept on his toes by siblings Hester Susanna; Wilhelmina Gertuida; Susanna Magdalena Sophia; Martha Johanna Maria; Gerbrecht Katarina; Dolphina Gertruida; Maria Magdalena and, the only other male sibling, Adolf Jacobus Oosthuizen.

Stephanus was baptised in the Dutch Reform Church, Potchefstroom on the 14th August that year.

Moving eastwards, he made a home for himself in the Middelburg district which is where, on 29 June 1885 at the age of 24, he wed 22 year old Heila Magdalena Van Tonder. She was to bare him many children as the years went by. First born, Susara Sofia Magdalena was born in Middelburg in 1886 but, by the time Susanna Sophia Magdalena was born on 5th February, 1888, Oosthuizen had taken his family to live in Pretoria, the capital city of the Transvaal Republic. Heila Magdalena Oosthuizen came along in 1890 followed in regular two year intervals by Marthinus Johannes Oosthuizen (1892); Cornelius Johannes Jacobus Oosthuizen (1894) and Anna Johanna Maria Oosthuizen (1896).

In the same year as Anna was born the Transvaal Republic and the “volk” were thrown into turmoil. Long harboured suspicions of British interference and the designs the Home Government had on their sovereignty were confirmed by the ill-fated Jameson Raid at the end of 1896. This poorly conceived and poorly executed attack was designed to topple Kruger’s government. Instead it had the reverse effect, mobilising Boer sentiment against the “Uitlanders” and leading to a massive armaments procurement programme by the ZAR authorities. As many as 30 000 Mauser rifles, with suitable amounts of ammunition, were ordered from Germany and distributed to Burgers in both the Transvaal and her ally, the Orange Free State. Heavy artillery pieces were ordered from Creusot in France and Krupp in Germany and the Commando structures – the Boer version of a volunteer army – were placed on alert and sorted into Wards under the command of elected leaders throughout the country.

War was brewing – the question was merely when the first shot would be fired. The world didn’t have long to wait, on 11 October 1899, an ultimatum from Kruger to the British Government went unanswered and, at midnight, the belligerents were at war.

Oosthuizen, who had affiliated himself to the Pretoria West Commando, had been in a state of readiness for several weeks before this. The call-up had been issued in late September and the men had, by and large, grabbed their Mausers and bandoliers of bullets; stuffed their string bags with biltong (dried strips of meat which were a staple) and other provisions for a week in the saddle and had mounted their horses and congregated in market squares throughout the land. Here they camped waiting for the day when the order was received to cross the borders into the Colonies of Natal and the Orange Free State.


Vorm B

Fortunately for the researcher, the medal which the Boer Burgers were able to claim for their service, from 1920 onwards, required the completion of a Vorm B – an application which not only required the name, rank and details of the claimant but also, more importantly, the battles and places in which he had participated. In Oosthuizen’s case, his daughter Heila Magdalena (now married to a Pentz) posthumously claimed his awards and decorations in March 1922 and, thanks to her efforts, we are able to place Oosthuizen at the following battles and actions: -

- Dundee (Talana)
- Ladysmith (the Siege and leading up to its commencement)
- Warmbaths
- Selons River
- Vlakfontein
- Stompies and
- Driefontien (Kleinfontein)

In addition to the above, the South African authorities approved the award of the D.T.D. (Dekorasie voor Troue Dienst), on par with the British Distinguished Service Order, and the LvW (Lint voor Verwonden) or Wound Ribband. Oosthuizen was awarded both which required the completion of the Vorm A and the Vorm C. These documents elaborated on the detail provided in the Vorm B, providing the nature and extent of any wounds and in which battle they were received.

Talana

Oosthuizen, who seems to have been transferred to the main Pretoria Commando from the onset, was among their number participating in the very first (Natal) battle of the war – that of Talana Hill outside Dundee on 21 October 1899. The main Boer army to invade Natal was that of General Erasmus that came down the main north-south road through Newcastle. The Pretoria, Heidelberg, and Boksburg commandos, some 4000 in all, under Erasmus, were to march round behind Mount Pogweni and cross the Buffalo near Newcastle. Erasmus, with some 2,000 men, mainly of the Pretoria commando, had reached the Navigation Colliery by 5 a.m. and made his way on to Impati, an eminence which looms large over the small town of Dundee.

The mountain was shrouded in mist, but the sound of the battle could be heard quite close, while every now and again the curtain of mist lifted sufficiently to let the main outline of the action become visible. An attack or even a fairly strong demonstration against the Dundee camp from this side would have forced General Yule to abandon the attempt to carry Talana. But Erasmus was incompetent and timid, and found the mist a sufficient excuse for complete inaction both on that day and a great part of the next. Thus, although present at the battle, it does not appear as though Oosthuizen and his comrades were actual combatants.

Siege of Ladysmith – Nicholson’s Nek, Observation Hill, Surprise Hill

The Pretoria Commando next moved on to Ladysmith where they were stationed at Pepworth Hill and were an integral part of the investment of the town. This siege was to last for 120 day, from 3 November 1899 until 28 February 1900 and, like most Commando units involved in the siege, there was plenty of comings and going with men applying for leave and returning home for short intervals as well as those who simply deserted never to return. They participated in the battle of Nicholson’s Nek on 30 October 1900 where the night march of Carleton's column had come as a complete surprise to the Boers. There was a small brandwacht of the Pretoria town commando to the east of Bell Spruit, almost opposite the point where the column turned off the road, but it seems to have noticed nothing till the stampede (of the mules belonging to the 10th Mountain Battery) actually occurred. It then fired a few shots in the direction of the noise, and hurried back to give the alarm to the commando, which was camped north of Pepworth, near the foot of the hill known as Nodashwana. Field-Cornet Zeederberg and a strong detachment (subsequently considerably reinforced) at once rode across and took up a position on rising ground about 1800 yards south-east of the end of Tchsengula.

They also fought in the November 8 engagement on Observation Hill. This point was known to be weakly held and unintrenched, and the occupation thereof would seriously cramp the defences of the garrison. Observation Hill was a ridge some 1,700 yards in front of Cove Redoubt, and separated by a valley only 1,400 yards across from the bush-grown plateau of Bell's Kopje. It was decided not to waste a single day, but to capture the Platrand and Observation Hill by a sudden attack that very night. At 1.30 a.m. on the 9th Field-Cornet Zeederberg's section of the Pretoria Commando left their laager and established themselves by daybreak in a donga within 800 yards from Observation Hill.

At 5 A.M. all the Boer guns began the artillery preparation for the attack, dropping their missiles into the town, the tin camp, or on to different points of the Observation defences. An hour later the squadron of the 5th Lancers, which, as usual, took up its position on Observation Hill at daybreak, was heavily fired at by the Pretoria Commando, who were now advancing from the donga. The advance of the Pretoria Commando had already been checked by the fire of the Lancers, who had held their ground manfully, and the Riflemen now effectually drove back the Boer supports, who were coming on from Bell's Kopje in considerable numbers but with no great resolution. Firing was heavy all day, but the attack was never pressed, though a small party of the Pretorian Commando remained till dusk in the donga, and even behind rocks and ant-hills some distance in front of it.

The engagement at Surprise Hill on 11 December 1899 was another in which Oosthuizen and his comrades were involved. Encouraged by the successful issue of the Gun Hill sortie, Colonel Metcalfe asked and received permission to take out the Rifle Brigade on the 10th to destroy a particularly venomous 4.7 in. howitzer which had been pounding all the northern posts from Surprise Hill. At the first outbreak of fire a Boer gunner on Bell's Kopje fired off a round to give the alarm, and in a few ' minutes the Transvaalers on that side, and the Free Staters on Thornhill Kopje, streamed out of their laagers, and began firing blindly and furiously at the hill slope from both flanks. Through this fire, enveloping them at closer range every moment, the men scrambled down.

Suddenly a ring of flame blazed forth at their very feet. A party of some twenty Pretorians, mostly young lawyers and business men, had boldly come round the side of the hill and, regardless of the heavy fire from their own side, had lain down in a line across the slope ready to intercept the storming party, of whose numbers they probably had no idea. But with implicit obedience to Metcalfe's instructions, and disregarding the misleading orders shouted out by the Boers, the men charged forward in grim silence. The gallant handful of Pretorians wildly emptied their magazines in the vain endeavour to stay the rush, and then the Riflemen surged into and over them, killing or wounding several with their bayonets as they passed.

After the fall of first Bloemfontein and then Pretoria in March and June 1900 respectively, the Commando structures as they had been from the commencement of the war, largely fell apart. This was the start of the Guerrilla Phase of the war where small groups of highly mobile mounted men would swoop down on lines of communication and unsuspecting patrols and columns and, having replenished their food and ammunition supplies, would release their prisoners back into the veld. The days of pitched battles were over and men like Oosthuizen now allied themselves to one of the Commandants and Generals who were still taking the fight to the British in the Western Transvaal and parts of the Eastern Free State.

Selons River aka the Battle of Koster River.

A controversial action was fought here on 22 July 1900 on the road between Rustenburg and Elands River in the Western Transvaal. After a Boer commando led by General H.L. Lemmer had cut the westward route towards Zeerust and Mafeking, thereby preventing supplies from reaching British forces stationed at Rustenburg under Colonel Robert Baden-Powell, late on the afternoon of 21 July a detachment of 270 Australian Bushmen was sent from Magato Nek under Lieut. Colonel Henry Airey with orders to 'brush aside' the enemy and return with a convoy from Elands River.

At about 8 a.m. the next day Airey's column was ambushed by Lemmer at Koster River, a tributary of the Selons. The Boers allowed the Australians' advance guard and flanking scouts to pass before opening a heavy fire on the main body from a horseshoe of kopjes 730 metres away. Forced to seek concealment in the long grass beside the road, in an area offering little cover such as stones or boulders and only a few thin trees, the Bushmen were pinned down and over 200 of their horses stampeded or shot. Airey, finding that his force was unable to move, determined to hold out until help arrived. The action accordingly lasted throughout the day, with the Boers' numbers - initially put at 400-increasing to about 1,000.

At one stage in the heated engagement, an isolated party of an officer and ten men raised a white flag to give themselves up. Airey considered that this act compromised the integrity of the defence, and felt honour-bound to surrender his entire command. His decision was flatly opposed by the officer commanding of the Western Australians, Major Harry Vialls, who reportedly 'stamped and swore' at what he regarded as a shameful order. Attempts to surrender were ignored by the Boers anyway, and in the face of the enemy's unrelenting fire the column was obliged to keep fighting.

After word of the Australians' predicament was carried to Magato Pass by a young Englishwoman who lived on a farm at nearby Woodstock, a relieving force proceeded to the scene. When these reinforcements arrived at about 2.30 p.m. and began to threaten the flanks of the Boer position, the enemy broke off the action and rode away. There were 39 casualties incurred by Airey's men in the six-and-a-half hour fight: six killed, three later died of wounds, 23 wounded, and seven men missing.

Oosthuizen was developing a fine reputation as a fighting man and his well-earned promotion to Commandant rank came at around this time .


Intelligence telegram

The year 1900 having drawn to a close, the dawn of 1901 brought with it a fresh set of challenges. British Intelligence, always on the prowl and at work, began to take an interest in Oosthuizen. The Archives of the Intelligence Officer to the Military Governor, Pretoria (Volume 8, page 56) contains a telegram to the Director of Military Intelligence, Pretoria, dated at Potchefstroom on 2 January 1901 from the local Director of District Intelligence, which read thus: -

“Reliable information that Commandant Oosthuizen with Beyers’ Commando whose wife is in Pretoria is getting frequent letters from his wife. He stated to a friend last week that he is communicating with her freely.” One can only imagine that the “friend” was a turncoat who was spying for the British.

Stompies

Oosthuizen also fought in the skirmish at Stompies in the Lichtenburg District on 24 March 1901. Van Warmelo in his book “On Commando” described the action: -

The night before the battle I heard De la Rey's order given to Kemp to march his men at four o'clock the following morning in the direction of the enemy. He was told to retreat fighting, in case the enemy attacked, so as to give our reinforcements an opportunity of attacking in the rear. Kemp ordered the lager, or, rather, the few waggons, to retire to Bodenstein's farm the following morning.

While we were busy inspanning we heard the enemy's bomb-Maxim, and before the waggons had forded the dangerous drift of the donga near Bodenstein's farm the bullets flew over our heads from the bult behind us. The women fled into the house and the burghers retreated as fast as they could. The enemy had surrounded us in the night, and each burgher had to do his utmost to escape from out of the half-circle.

The few who stayed behind to defend the guns were soon obliged to fly after the rest, and to abandon one gun still on the other side of the drift. We retreated to Vetpan. Those of the burghers who retreated more to the right in the direction of Stompies were the best off, as the right wing of the enemy had to be on its guard not to enter the wood there. The enemy fired at us from horseback to enhance our panic, which was clever of them, as it was impossible for us to turn in any direction.

Our men made no attempt to check the enemy's progress. They all fled, each one bent on saving himself. A Boer, if once he flies, is not easily turned aside. But it must be remembered that our horses were terribly overworked. They had to live on nothing but grass, and very little of that. We all also recognised the impossibility of checking the enemy, as we ran the risk of shooting our own men and women; so our only chance lay in flight.

The horses of the enemy were soon 'done up,' and they had to satisfy themselves with our guns--two large ones that we had taken from them at Colenso, a damaged bomb-Maxim and several smaller ones. They took 136 prisoners, among whom were Lieutenant Odendaal, 32 artillerists, 13 burghers, and for the rest women and children and some big, full-grown cowardly men who were in the habit of fleeing with the women and children. The greater part of the women's lager fell into their hands. The few waggons of Generals Smuts and Kemp that they captured were of no importance. Jooste and Malherbe were also taken prisoners.

By this time Oosthuizen had aligned himself with the formidable trio of Boer leaders – Generals’ Kemp, Beyers and Erasmus. They together with General De la Ray were causing the British plenty of grief in the Western Transvaal. Probably working closest with Kemp, Oosthuizen soon became known as his “right hand man”.


The battle of Vlakfontein

Vlakfontein

One of his biggest challenges lay ahead of him – the battle of Vlakfontein on May 30 1901 was to leave him Wounded in Action – he had thus far, managed to evade the impact of a British bullet but no more. The Evening Express of 6 June 1901 informed its readers under the emotive banner “THE VLAKFONTEIN BATTLE. Two British Shot in Cold Blood” of how events unfolded,

"One of the fiercest fights of the war," is the London "Mail" correspondent's description of the action at Vlakfontein. So close were the enemy that fifty of our men dropped at the first volley. The Yeomanry took up a position near the guns, which they held till they were nearly decimated. Their stand is described is most heroic. As soon as they perceived the seriousness of the position the artillerymen and a Yeoman shot the gun- horses to prevent the Boers removing the guns. This forethought probably saved the guns. Dixon's column, says another correspondent, was passing through the country establishing posts, moving along in column formation, when the Boers, numbering 1,200, came close in on the flank. Suddenly they made an attack, swooping down on the guns and capturing them, with some of the gunners.

In a moment the column recovered from the shock of the sudden attack, and, fixing bayonets, the Derbyshires made a gallant charge on the Boers, worthily upholding the splendid traditions of our infantry. The Boers were swept from the guns and they were re-taken, having been in the enemy's possession five minutes. During that time, however, the Boers asked an artillery lieutenant to show them how the guns were worked. He refused, as did a sergeant-major, and these two were shot in cold blood for refusing to work the guns against their own comrades. The Derbyshires lost heavily in the bayonet charge, but their gallantry saved the day. The Scottish Horse also behaved well. The splendid behaviour of all ranks dissipates any suggestion of staleness. The wounded from Dixon's column have been sent to Johannesburg.”

A report a few days later read thus: -

“JOHANNESBURG, Monday. The men wounded in the engagement at Vlakfontein have been conveyed here, and are now comfortably lodged in the 6th General Field Hospital, where they are receiving every attention. It appears that the fight, which was of a most sanguinary nature, took place at Vlakfontein, fifteen miles west of Naauwpoort (Transvaal). Colonel Dixon's column, which had been in close touch with the enemy on the previous days, moved out from camp on Thursday morning, as information bad been received regarding some buried guns. The Boers were found in considerable numbers in the surrounding country, and it was deemed advisable to return to camp, and there await reinforcements before an attack on the enemy was made.

The column was only about 1,400 strong, being composed of four companies of the Derbyshire Regiment, four companies of the King's Own Scottish Borderers, the 28th Battery, some 500 Yeomanry and Scottish Horse, with other details. In the meantime, the Boers had set fire to the veldt between the column and the camp, and great clouds of smoke rose, under cover of which the enemy advanced on the right, on the rear of the column. They then made a rush, and succeeded in taking two guns, killing most of the section in charge. A lieutenant and a sergeant-major were made prisoners, and, on refusing to give information as to the working of the guns, were shot. Their gallant conduct undoubtedly saved many lives, for the enemy actually turned the guns on our troops, but the shell failed to explode, as the pins had been withdrawn. At this point the Derbyshires were ordered to re-take the guns. They carried them at the point of the bayonet in a most dashing manner. Nearly every Boer near the guns was killed. Finally, the enemy retired, and the column reached camp without further loss. It is believed that the enemy numbered 1,200, and were part of Delarey's force, under Commandant Kemp. A Boer attached to the Boer ambulance, who was collecting their dead and wounded, stated that they had lost 55 killed, and our men saw large numbers of wounded Boers being carried away. It is now estimated that the losses on both sides were about the same. The Boer losses throughout the country from May 20 to May 27 were over 400 killed, wounded, captured, or surrendered.—Press Association War Special.”

It was during this daring action that Oosthuizen was Wounded in Action – shot in the shoulder. A very comprehensive account of the battle was compiled by the late Ken Gillings who wrote (abbreviated in parts) as follows:

“Kemp had laagered at Waterval, a secure and wooded position between the present day towns of Derby and Koster, north east of Krugersdorp. His force consisted of between 300 and 400 burghers and included his scouts and some of the Staatsartillerie who were without guns. These forces were commanded by Commandant Van Deventer.

He also had the Krugersdorp Commando under Commandant Claassen, and the Pretoria Commando under Commandant Oosthuizen. The Boers had lost many of their guns during the guerrilla stage of the war and had buried several that remained in working order, to give the commandos greater mobility.

When Dixon moved out at 08h00 on 29 May 1901, Kemps men had occupied the hills between Waterval and Dixon’s camp. They came under sniper fire but proceeded to the spot where the guns were supposedly buried. Finding that the guns had been removed, he turned his attention to locating ammunition which had been buried. Deciding that removing the ammunition was too big a task for the remaining hours of daylight, he ordered a general return to camp. A certain amount of firing had been heard from the direction of the Rear Guard. It was also observed that a large veld fire was burning on the high ground.

As the British moved along the ridges and the valley, they came under heavy fire from Kemp’s burghers who had begun to gather in some strength. By making maximum use of the smoke screen Kemp’s burghers now grouped into a charging mass of 500 men, who burst through the flames and smoke on horseback, some firing from the saddle, while others led their ponies and fired as they ran. It must have been a spectacular sight. The Yeomanry begun to suffer heavy casualties and ran headlong past the guns to the rear. The artillery horses were shot down and soon the fire reached the guns. The gunners were overrun and shot down. Those gunners that remained were manhandled by the Boers and told to explain how to bring their ordnance into action – against their own men. The time was 14h00 – only 30 minutes after Kemp had launched his attack.”

The British counter attacked and drove the Boers off but sustained heavy casualties during the action.

Moedwil

Although his daughter, in her medal application, didn’t list Moedwil, the battle fought on 30 September 1901, Oosthuizen was certainly there. Amery, on page 379 of his Times History of the War states that: -

“While the camp was sleeping, the denizens of the “haunted forest” were collecting as though by magic. With the exception of a small force reported at Buffelshoek, ten miles to the south-east, Kekewich believed the immediate neighbourhood to be perfectly clear. But De la Rey’s scouts under Boshoff had stalked the column for a week, while their General held his scattered bands ready for one of those extraordinarily swift and secret concentrations which had so often defied the intelligence service of British columns. On this night he had summoned 1000 men to gather at a point close to the British camp. The plan was that the main body under Van Tonder, Plessis, Fourie, Boshoff and Coetzee was to make its way in the darkness to the river below the camp, while two flanking detachments, one under Steenkamp and Oosthuizen, the other under Kemp and Van Heerden, were to make a wide detour by the north and south respectively, and to work round to the east. At daylight the main body, making a frontal attack on the camp, was to drive the British into the arms of Kemp and Steenkamp.

With a group of orderlies, cooks and batmen pressed into service, Major C N Watts soon realised that his own flank was not in danger so swung around to attack the Boer left along the banks of the river, with support from the infantry, mounted infantry and the Yeomanry. The Boer line along this flank was enfiladed and the burghers were forced to retire. By 6:15, the Boers were in retreat, having lost eleven killed, 35 wounded, and 10 taken prisoner.


A sketch of the Kleinfontein battle showing Oosthuizen's position in the charge.

Kleinfontein aka Driefontein and Wilgeboomfontein

Oosthuizen soldiered on, little realising that his next major battle would be his last. Much has been written about this battle and, where possible, I have tried to provide as many accounts as possible from a variety of sources. The first is that of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle who, in Chapter Six of his “The Great Boer War”, wrote as follows:

“Two British columns left Zeerust on 17 October (1901), under Methuen and Von Donop, in order to sweep the surrounding countryside. They returned to Zeerust twelve days later, after a successful foray, which had been attended by much sniping and skirmishing, but only one action which is worthy of record.

This was fought on 24th October at a spot near Kleinfontein, upon the Groot Marico River, which runs to the north-east of Zeerust. Von Donop’s column was straggling through very broken and bush-covered country when it was furiously charged in the flank and rear by two separate bodies of burghers. Kemp who commanded the flank attack, cut into the line of waggons destroying eight of them, killing many of the kaffir drivers, before he could be driven off. De la Ray and Steenkamp who rushed the rear-guard, had a more desperate contest. The Boer horsemen got among the two guns of the 4th R.F.A., and held temporary possession of them, but the small escort were veterans of the “Fighting Fifth” who lived up to the traditions of their famous regiment. Of the gun crews of the section, amounting to about 26 men, the young officer, Hill and sixteen men were hit. Of the escort of Northumberland Fusiliers hardly a man was left standing. It was for some little time a fierce and concentrated struggle at the shortest of ranges. The British horsemen came galloping to the rescue, however, and the attack was finally driven back into that broken country from where it had come. Forty dead Boers lay upon the ground, with their brave chieftain, Ouisterhuizen (sic).

Creswicke in Volume VII of his history of the war wrote the following account: -

“While Lord Methuen was marching from Zeerust to Lindleys Poort, Colonel Von Donop from Zeerust moved in the direction of Tafel Kop. On his way back, on the 24th, at Kleenfontein (sic), between Wonderfontein and Wilgeboom Spruit, he was confronted by over 1000 Boers under Generals Delaray, Kemp and Cilliers. These had taken advantage of the thick scrub through which the British were moving to gallop to close quarters and set upon the little force.

Fighting was ferocious, particularly round the two guns (4th R.F.A.), and the heroism shown by one and all, particularly by the gunners it is scarcely possible to exaggerate. One officer, 17 men of the gun detachments, 26 escort of the Northumberland Fusiliers (some 60 strong) were either killed or wounded in this desperate defence. The Boers, repulsed on all sides, eventually drew off leaving 40 dead and wounded (these numbers were grossly exaggerated) including Commandant Oosthuysen (since dead) on the field.”

Michael Davitt, the Irish parliamentarian, and Boer sympathiser wrote that: -

“On the 28th De la Rey and Kemp defeated a column of Methuen's command under Von Donop, which was employed in burning farms and crops in the Marico River district, in the north-western Transvaal. The British were nearing a spruit when they were assailed by a body of 300 Boers under Commandants Kemp and Oosthuizen. While the head of the British column was thus engaged, De la Rey with the bulk of his force rode at the flank and rear of the enemy, inflicting severe punishment upon him, and carrying off a number of wagons. The fight lasted only half an hour, but the English losses amounted to 2 officers and 26 men killed, and 5 officers and 50 men wounded. The British report stated that 40 Boers were killed, including Commandant Oosthuizen.

The fight took place at Kleinfontein, the Boers retiring westward after the engagement. The reported loss of 40 killed, with no account of the number wounded, was probably a Methuen or a Kaffir exaggeration.”

Amery in his Times History of the War in South Africa wrote about the incident thus:

“.....Methuen, who, on the 2nd , leading two columns, had left Mafeking for Zeerust.....On October 24, during the march back to Zeerust, one of his two columns, consisting of 1000 rifles and seven guns under Colonel von Donop (5th I.Y. 680; 1st L.N. Lancs. Regt. 190; 1st North. Fusiliers 140; 4 guns 4th Battery; 2 pom-poms; 1 howitzer 37th Battery), was surprised by De la Rey at Kleinfontein. Unsuspicious of danger, the column, accompanied by a procession of 100 wagons, was marching along one of the worst roads in the Transvaal, fringed with bush and dominated by thickly-timbered heights. Patrols were working on either flank; but in this sort of country Yeomanry scouts were powerless.

At 7 a.m., some Boers having showed themselves on high ground to the front, the advance-guard guns halted and opened fire. Then, without a moment’s warning, some 500 Boers under Kemp, Steenekamp, Oosthuizen and other leaders charged down from the heights on the left in three ordered lines, struck the centre of the mule-convoy, shot down numbers of the native drivers and threw the whole into confusion.

While some Boers endeavoured to drive off the wagons, the rest whirled away to their right and fell upon the rear-guard, which consisted of two guns of the 4th Battery under Lieutenant Hill, a company of the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers under Captain Girdwood and a company of the 5th Yeomanry under Lieutenant Cheape. The troops, resisting with splendid bravery, received severe punishment. Both gun-detachments were cut to pieces; the Fusiliers lost half their number in killed and wounded; the Yeomanry a quarter of their number and half their horses, and the guns for a considerable time were in Boer hands; but, the teams having been shot down, there was no means of removing them.

Meanwhile the column was cut in two, and fully two hours elapsed before von Donop was able to get back to the relief of the rear-guard. Then the Boers, who had succeeded in driving away twelve wagons and in burning one limber, were beaten off. They had suffered the loss, heavy for them, of 60 killed and wounded, including Commandant Oosthuizen”

An eye-witness account from the Boer side read: -

‘Kommandant Oosthuizen is gewond en het in die hande van die Britte geval. Hy is na die tydelike Britse hospitaal op Wilgeboomspruit geneem waar hy op die 26ste oorlede is. (Commandant Oosthuizen was wounded and fell into British hands. He was taken to a temporary hospital at Wilgeboom Spruit where he passed away on the 26th (October)’

Another Boer, P.J. Möller, present at the battle wrote the following in his diary: -

“.....onzen geachten Kommandant Oosthuizen, die zwaar gewond werd en vervolgens in ’s vs. handen viel. Moge de lieve Heer hem weer herstellen.....” en op Saterdag 26 Oktober is die oorskot van kommandant Oosthuizen aan die Boere oorhandig – “.....Zaterdag, 26 Octr…..Komdt. Oosthuizen door v. aan ons uitgeleverd.....”. (“… our revered Commandant Oosthuizen who was severely wounded and who subsequently fell into the hands of the enemy. May the Good Lord heal him….”) and (“….. on Saturday, 26th October, the mortal remains of Commandant Oosthuizen were sent to us…)

In his own diary, Von Donop’s entry for October 25th reads as follows: -

“Friday. I was puzzled last night to know what to do (1) it was imperative to get my wounded at once to Zeerust, and I only had ox wagons, (which were not legitimate under the Geneva convention) (2) the General had 4 days ago ordered me to be 8 miles North of this early morning. I decided to send the 14 wagons off without escort under the Red Cross and go off myself to Wolvediend. I wrote to the Boer General and told him what I was doing and asked him to let my wounded go through at once. I also left a wounded Commandant Oosthuisen, whom I particularly wanted to collar in my old camp with 3 other wounded Boers in the hopes this would induce them to play fair with me. On arrival at Wolvediend I got up Zeerust on the helio and found that my ambulance had been allowed through, but that the ox wagons had been stopped. (The next morning I heard they had got in all right – but it gave me a second sleepless night). I just got into touch with Lord Methuen and gave him my news.

In J.F. Naudé’s “Vechten en Vluchten van Beyers en Kemp”, (Rotterdam 1903), p. 303 he wrote (translated from the original Dutch): -

.....when it became light we were with General Cilliers at Driefontein on the ridges, about 2 miles to the left of the road to Zeerust. Between these ridges and the road there is a 'lap' of Boekenhout trees. The arrangement was we'd attack the column if it came past here; and then General de la Rey would attack from the rear with the Commandos he had with him. The sun had already risen when the English passed through the Marico on their way to Zeerust..... The burghers of Generals Cilliers and Kemp were called together and after a word to them from Ps. 125 verse 1, and a prayer made, orders were given to attack the column, which now came into view. Kommandant Lemmer would go before the enemy to attack and lure him away; General Cilliers was to charge on the left with his burghers and besides this General Kemp ordered his officers as follows: next to Cilliers, Commandant Marnewick, who had been appointed in place of the late Commandant Boshoff over the Scouts, and then Oosthuizen, van Heerden, van Tonder, Els and Fourie. In a long line, again as at Vlakfontein, the Burghers galloped to the trees before them.

The General and those with him rode close behind the Burgers. How terribly beautiful and encouraging it was to see those burghers in rank and file storming those wagon trains, protected by horse riders, infantry and cannons. The English saw us — it could not be otherwise, as we galloped from the ridge to the trees, and while the burghers were still among the trees coming down to the lower, the first shots fell; then it resounded with the rumble of horses' hooves and the crackle of guns on either side. Two guns and a bomb maxim also took part in the fight, but were soon silenced. One wagon after another was now being driven off the track between the trees to be brought to our side. The horsemen were pushed between the wagons and took up position again on a ridge on the other side of the lager. The prisoners remained with the wagons, having raised their hands in surrender but, unluckily in the haste to chase after the horse riders, they were not disarmed.

The Artillery was also overrun by the guns, but not disarmed. Celliers and Kemp didn't have the whole lager to do now, as the rear part was still on the ridge and coming over. When the burghers charged the fleeing horsemen through the lager, they were immediately bombarded from the edge on the right side and had to flee back. The Infantry and Artillery now took up arms again and met more than one brave burgher who chased past them. The Commandos who attacked from the rear were too slow and did not charge the enemy, but took positions in the ridges behind the enemy, from which they fired on them. Therefore, he found opportunity to direct his attention to us at the guns. Most of our burghers fell around the cannons, especially the Rustenburgers, who were rushing towards those cannons. We had to return leaving behind our dead and some of the wounded….”

.....toen het licht werd, waren wij bij Generaal Cilliers te Driefontein in de randjes, ongeveer 2 mijl links van het pad naar Zeerust. Tusschen deze randjes en het pad is er een ‘lap’ boekenhoutboomen. De afspraak was, dat wij hieruit zouden stormen op het lager als het hier voorbij kwam; en dan moest Generaal de la Rey hetzelve van achteren laten aanvallen door de Kommandos die hij bij zich had. De zon was reeds opgegaan toen de Engelschen door de Marico trokken op weg naar Zeerust.....De Burgers van Generaals Celliers en Kemp werden bij elkaar geroepen en na een woord tot hen gesproken over Ps. 125 vers 1, en een gebed gedaan, werden de orders gegeven om het lager, dat nu in gezicht kwam, te bestormen. Kommandant Lemmer zou vóór den vijand gaan om hem aan te vallen en weg te lokken; Generaal Celliers zou aan de linkerhand afstormen met zijne burgers en daarnaast stelde Generaal Kemp zijne officieren in de volgende orde: naast Celliers Kommandant Marnewick, die in plaats van wijlen Kommandant Boshoff over de Verkenners was aangesteld, en vervolgens Oosthuizen, van Heerden, van Tonder, Els en Fourie. In een lange linie, weer zooals te Vlakfontein, galoppeerden de Burgers naar de boomen voor hen.

De Generaal met die bij hem waren, reed kort achter de burgers. Hoe vreeselijk prachtig en bemoedigend was het om die Burgers zoo in gelid dien trein wagens, beschermd door paardenruiters, voetgangers en kanonnen te zien bestormen. De Engelschen zagen ons – het kon niet anders, toen wij van den rand naar de boomen galoppeerden, en toen de Burgers nog tusschen de boomen naar het lager aankwamen, vielen de eerste schoten; toen daverde het van het gedreun der paardenhoeven en het knetteren der geweren aan weerzijden. Twee kanonnen en een bom-maxim namen ook dadelijk deel aan het gevecht, doch werden spoedig tot zwijgen gebracht. De eene wagen na de anderen werd nu uit het pad tusschen de boomen ingedreven om naar onzen kant uitgebracht te worden. De paardenruiters werden tusschen de wagens doorgedreven en namen weer positie in een rand aan den anderen kant van het lager. De voetgangers bleven bij de wagens en werden gehandsupt, doch ongelukkig in de haast om de paardenruiters achterna te zetten, niet ontwapend. De Artillerie werd ook overrompeld bij de kanonnen, maar niet ontwapend. Celliers en Kemp hadden nu niet het geheele lager te doen, daar het achterste gedeelte nog op het randje was en aan het overkomen. Toen de Burgers door het lager de vluchtende paardenruiters bestormden, werden zij dadelijk op de rechterzij geweldig uit het randje bestookt en moesten terug jagen. De voetgangers en Artillerie pakten nu weer de wapenen en troffen meer dan een dier dappere Burgers die bij hen voorbij jaagden. De Kommandos die van achteren moisten aanvallen waren te langzaam en bestormden den vijand niet, doch namen posities in de randjes achter den vijand, waaruit ze hen beschoten. Daarom vond hij gelegenheid zijn aandacht op ons bij de kanonnen te bepalen. Daar om de kanonnen vielen dan ook de meesten onzer Burgers, vooral van de Rustenburgers, die juist op die kanonnen afstormen. Wij moesten terugkeeren met achterlating van onze dooden en sommige gewonden.....”

As has been alluded to, the accounts of the battle, from both sides of the spectrum, are almost inexhaustible. Suffice it to say, in summary, that Oosthuizen, revered by many and a proven commander, had been shot down as he and 500 others charged down from the heights to attack the column. Lingering at deaths door, he passed away on 26 October 1901, denying Von Donop the opportunity of using him as a bargaining chip.

What was almost more galling, and there is no indication that word of this would have reached him as he planned for his final battle, was the news that his beloved Heila, along with six of their children (Sarah Maria, Sonny Magdalena, Hilda Maria, Marthinus Johannes, Cornelius Johannes and Annie Johanna) were rounded up and incarcerated in the Howick Refugee Camp in Natal. They arrived there on 18 October 1901 – 6 days before he was mortally wounded. The official records had Heila down as a 38 year old widow, suggesting that the authorities were later made aware of her husbands death.

The Red Cross wrote to Heila on 27 November 1901 addressing their telegram to her at the Refugee Camp. The message read as follows (translated from the Dutch): -

“Mrs H. M. Oosthuizen

It is with the greatest regret that we must inform you that we received a communication this morning that Commandant Stephanus J. Oosthuizen was wounded at Kleinfontein on 24 October 1901. He passed away two days later at Witzenboomspruit (sic) and was buried at Bokkraal nearby Loodmynen.

Yours sincerely etc.”

What a blow this must have been to the young mother, now widowed and homeless with many children to look after. The records indicate that Heila and her six children survived the camp and returned to Pretoria on 5 July 1902 – five weeks after the last shot of the Boer War was fired in anger.

Mention has been made of the almost special bond Oosthuizen had with General J. Kemp. It was to this gentleman, by then a respected Member of Parliament in the Union Government, that Oosthuizen’s daughter directed herself in 1922 when applying for his medals.
From the Parliamentary Library in Cape Town on 22 April 1922 he wrote, in response: -

“This serves to confirm that the late Commandant Oosthuizen of the Pretoria Commando served under me, that he was a brave and resourceful officer, that in the fight at Wilgeboomspruit he was severely wounded and that he died shortly afterwards from his wounds. Commandant Oosthuizen served in 1901 under me in the Anglo Boer War before he lay down his life on the alter of the people (volk), before his time had come.”

Signed J. Kemp. Senior Combat General, Republican Commandos.

As a postscript he added, “Commandant Oosthuizen was also wounded in the battle of Vlakfontein, district Rustenburg on 29 May 1901.”

Today Stephanus Johannes Oosthuizen lives on in the memories of his many relatives. A life lost; a sacrifice made for the good of his volk.

What a great post. Many thanks, Rory.

I second that! I really enjoyed reading this very interesting post Rory, so thank you for posting your excellent research.

Ian

Many thanks for your kind comments chaps. Thanks also to Oosthuizen's great grandson who sent me the photo below. It was taken in the Howick Refugee Camp. As I noted in my article, Oosthuizen's wife and many of his children were sent from Pretoria to be incarcerated there. What I didn't know was that Mrs Oosthuizen's (Heila) mother was also there. She is the defiant looking lady sitting next to the pot.

Heila is the lady dressed in black (widow's weeds) holding a piece of wood, and wearing a black hat. She is partiallly obscured. Her black garb suggests that she had, by the time the photo was taken, been informed of her husband's death. If you look carefully you will see a small boy peeking out from behind someone's skirts - this is one of Oosthuizen's sons. The girl on the left holding the axe is the later Mrs Peentz who wrote applying for the medals in 1922.



Regards

Rory

Thanks for all your research Rory, a really interesting life and good to see a Boer life featured and contact from his great grandson. Do you know how many descendants are alive today.?
Could you remind me how this thread started and if the medals are still in the family.
Clive

All medals I write about are in my collection Clive, otherwise it wouldn't be worth writing about.

Scroll up from these comments to see the start of the thread.

Rory