TOPIC:

Willem Punt

Railway official at Elandslaagte - NZSAM (Nederlands-Zuid-Afrikaanse Spoorwegmaatschappij)
Staff for Engineer Services – Anglo Boer War

- Queens South Africa Medal (0) to W. PUNT

Willem Punt was one of those men, few in number, who worked for both sides of the great divide in the Boer War – as an official with the NZSAM for the first few months of the war, and for the Staff for Engineer Services, an Imperial outfit, for some of the remainder. His role is not to be confused with those who, armed and equipped, took to the field as part of a Commando and who, either on capture or surrender (or of their own volition) became a “Hands Upper” – a turncoat who took up arms for the British against his own people in return for clemency.

A Hollander by birth, Punt was resident in Paul Kruger’s Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek (Transvaal) when war broke out on 11 October 1899. When he commenced employment is unknown but, when the first shot was fired in anger, he was an official with the NZSAM – those unsung heroes who were required to convey, artillery, foodstuffs, and men to wherever they were needed, in support of the Boer cause, in order to wage war.

Officials of the NZSAM were regarded as non-combatants and as far as is known, were unarmed as they went about their duties.
With the commencement of the campaign, the Boer Commandos thrust into both the Cape Colony – heading for Mafeking and Kimberley which they laid siege to; and Natal, where the actions at Talana (Dundee) and Elandslaagte were fought before the British brigade fell back on Ladysmith which was also laid siege to by the Boers. The seminal battle of Elandslaagte was waged on 21 October 1899 and, despite driving the Boers from the field in a hard fought and costly conflict, the British abandoned the area soon after, leaving the station and few buildings which comprised the small siding, in the hands of the Boers as they retreated to Ladysmith.

The Boers, having entered Dundee after Talana pursued Yule’s men but not with the vigour required to rout them, taking possession of Elandslaagte once more as they moved on. It was at this point that the NZSAM returned to the area, both to convey men as well as supplies to the Boer forces in the area. Punt, as an official in their employ was “stationed” there to monitor and organise the train schedules. He was also to there to monitor and prevent the theft of supplies from sheds and trains bound for Elandslaagte which occurred on a large scale. So much so that, from the end of October 1899 onwards the secretary of the Head Committee repeatedly notified the directors of the NZASM of shortfalls in consignments to the front. ‘Expropriated items were mainly salt, coffee, sugar, flour, soap, matches, paraffin, oats and clothing'. (Plokhooy, 1903).


Elandslaagte Station as it appeared in 1886

Whilst all this was happening, a young member of the British aristocracy, Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill, was making his way through the Natal theatre of the war as a War Correspondent in the employ of the Morning Post whose readers were thirsty for news on the progress of the war and how their lads were faring under the African sun. It is not the purpose of this work to explore, in any detail, Churchill’s remarkable career whilst in South Africa – we will, however, concern ourselves with the Train Incident at Frere which took place there on 15 November 1899 and which triggered the unlikely meeting between Punt and Churchill, some 45 miles distant from each other.

According to The Durban Light Infantry 1854 – 1934 by Lt. Col. A.C. Martin (page 61):

It was decided to send out the Armoured Train on another sortie on the 15th (November 1899). Thus were sent a company of Dublin Fusiliers, Lt. Frankland and 72 men; 45 men of “C” Company of the Durban Light Infantry under Captain J.S. Wylie and Lieut. W. Alexander, and a detachment of 5 men of H.M.S. Tartar with a 7-pdr. under a petty officer. Capt. A. Haldane, D.S.O., of the Gordon Highlanders, recently recovered from wounds at Elandslaagte, was placed in command. Accompanying the train were some platelayers, telegraphists, and linesmen, and Mr. Winston Churchill, War Correspondent to the Morning Post.


The Armoured Train Incident at Frere

At the head of the train was an open flat truck carrying an antiquated 7-pdr. manned by men of H.M.S. Tartar. Then came an armoured truck in which were three sections of the Dublin Fusiliers, Captain Haldane, and Winston Churchill. This was followed by the engine and tender, two armoured trucks, and an open bogie. In the truck behind the engine and tender were the fourth section of Fusiliers, Capt. Wylie and half the men of the Durban Light Infantry. The following truck contained Lieut. Alexander, the remainder of the Durban Light Infantry, the telegraphists, platelayers, and the like. The bogie carried the stores thought necessary, and the guard.”

The Boers, as we know, ambushed the train and, in the aftermath of the short but sharp skirmish that took place, not only killed and wounded a number of the soldiers and Natal Government Railway men but also took 56 prisoners.

Dr. George Oliver Moorhead, who was serving with the Red Cross attached to the Middelburg Commando, then stationed at nearby Chieveley, said that some 50 (sic) British surrendered. He saw them soon afterwards, “trudging towards us in the rain and mud, a little compact body of men on foot surrounded by mounted burghers. As they came near us we distinguished the sodden soiled khaki uniforms; a few officers marched stolidly in front, a man in mufti with an injured hand among them". This was, of course, Winston Churchill who had injured his hand in the skirmish.

Churchill, in his London to Ladysmith via Pretoria, Chapter 9, recalled the events the day after the surrender: -

“In the morning, before the sun was up, the Commandant Davel came to rouse us. The prisoners were to march at once to Elandslaagte Station. 'How far?' we asked, anxiously, for all were very footsore. 'Only a very little way—five hours' slow walking.' We stood up—for we had slept in our clothes and cared nothing for washing—and said that we were ready. The Commandant then departed, to return in a few minutes bringing some tea and bully beef, which he presented to us with an apology for the plainness of the fare. He asked an English-speaking Boer to explain that they had nothing better themselves. After we had eaten and were about to set forth, Davel said, through his interpreter, that he would like to know from us that we were satisfied with the treatment we met with at his laager. We gladly gave him the assurance, and with much respect bade good-bye to this dignified and honourable enemy. Then we were marched away over the hills towards the north, skirting the picket line round Ladysmith to the left. Every half-mile or so the road led through or by some Boer laager, and the occupants—for it was a quiet day in the batteries—turned out in hundreds to look at us. I do not know how many men I saw, but certainly during this one march not less than 5,000.


Boers thronging the platform at Elandslaagte Station

It was about eleven o'clock when we reached Elandslaagte Station. A train awaited the prisoners. There were six or seven closed vans for the men and a first-class carriage for the officers. Into a compartment of this we were speedily bundled. Two Boers with rifles sat themselves between us, and the doors were locked. I was desperately hungry, and asked for both food and water. 'Plenty is coming,' they said, so we waited patiently, and sure enough, in a few minutes a railway official came along the platform, opened the door, and thrust before us in generous profusion two tins of preserved mutton, two tins of preserved fish, four or five loaves, half a dozen pots of jam, and a large can of tea. As far as I could see the soldiers fared no worse. The reader will believe that we did not stand on ceremony, but fell to at once and made the first satisfying meal for three days. While we ate a great crowd of Boers gathered around the train and peered curiously in at the windows. One of them was a doctor, who, noticing that my hand was bound up, inquired whether I were wounded. The cut caused by the splinter of bullet was insignificant, but since it was ragged and had received no attention for two days it had begun to fester. I therefore showed him my hand, and he immediately bustled off to get bandages and hot water and what not, with which, amid the approving grins of the rough fellows who thronged the platform, he soon bound me up very correctly .


Natal Govt. Railway map showing Frere and Elandslaagte

The train whereby we were to travel was required for other business besides; and I noticed about a hundred Boers embarking with their horses in a dozen large cattle trucks behind the engine. At or about noon we steamed off, moving slowly along the line, and Captain Haldane pointed out to me the ridge of Elandslaagte, and gave me some further account of that successful action and of the great skill with which Hamilton had directed the infantry attack. The two Boers who were guarding us listened with great interest, but the single observation they made was that we had only to fight Germans and Hollanders at Elandslaagte. 'If these had been veldt Boers in front of you——' My companion replied that even then the Gordon Highlanders might have made some progress. Whereat both Boers laughed softly and shook their heads with the air of a wiseacre, saying, 'You will know better when you're as old as me,' a remark I constantly endure from very worthy people.”

But who was this railway official referred to by Churchill? His granddaughter, Celia Sandys, in her “Churchill Wanted Dead or Alive” came out to South Africa to research her book. She met with the family of Willem Punt writing as follows: -

“The story of what befell Winston Churchill on his arrival at the (Elandslaagte) station has been handed down through the family and was told to me by his grandson, also Willem Punt.

‘It began to rain and when the prisoners were told to take shelter in the baggage room, Churchill was taken to one side and put under guard in the ticket office. But the fun started when they were all told to board the train. One or two officers who had joined the party objected to travelling with a newspaperman.’

“My grandfather,” Willem Punt continued, “told the officers that they would have to put up with the newspaper man. He was unaware of the newspaper man’s identity but I am sure that in any case he would have ignored the officer’s objections.”

So ended the chance encounter between Punt and Churchill – one that was long remembered, certainly by Punt who had been deployed there.

In a bizarre coincidence the man in charge of the NZSAM train which conveyed Churchill and his fellow POW’s from Newcastle to Elandsfontein (Germiston) was a Jac Punt, possibly a relative of Willem’s, also had a story to relate in respect of his famous passenger. It would seem that Churchill’s travel companions had still not got over the fact that he was “among them” – several officers complained to Jac Punt that Churchill was in their compartment and asked that they be treated according to their rank. Punt was obliged to transfer Churchill to another compartment to keep the peace.

Willem Punt’s career, meanwhile, after the Elandslaagte Station episode, followed the fortunes of the Boer forces as they retreated back towards the Transvaal. Driven back by Buller’s rapid advance after the lifting of the Ladysmith siege on 1 March 1900 the Boers fell back on first the Biggarsberg and then Laing’s Nek before re-entering their homeland. In June 1900 Pretoria fell and the rolling stock as well as the +/- 3000 NZSAM employees fell under British control. Possibly because he was a non-combatant, Punt was free to go about his business.

On 14 February 1901 he commenced service on the Staff for Engineer Services serving with them until taking his discharge on 3 August of that year whereafter he took no further part in the war. His no-clasp Queens Medal was issued off this roll on 21 August 1901, along with others who were mustered in the roles of Messenger’s, Store Keeper’s, and Sanitary Labourers.

Ah! I'd been awaiting this story ever since you posted a query about Punt a few weeks ago. Very interesting it is too, Rory. Thanks for posting it.