TOPIC:

Two brothers, originally from the Cape Colony, who fought together as teenagers with one wounded at the Battle of Karee Siding; both captured after 2 years on commando and sent to St Helana as prisoners of war.


BIRTH: 19 July 1879
Weltevrede, Alexandria, Cape Colony, South Africa

DEATH: 27 May 1950
Nigel, Transvaal, South Africa

Age at outbreak of War: 20 years

Wounded in Action: 29 March 1900, Brandford (Battle of Karee Siding), OVS

Prisoner of War: 13 December 1901 at Bosmanshoek, to St Helena (22 years old)


BIRTH: 11 April 1883
Weltevrede, Alexandria, Cape Colony, South Africa

DEATH: 14 September 1948
Hartebeesfontein, South Africa

Age at outbreak of War: 16 ½ years

Prisoner of War: 13 December 1901 at Bosmanshoek, to St Helena (18 years old)

Parents:

Father: Johan Andreas Holtzhausen (1844 to 4 November 1915)
Mother: Susanna Elizabeth Van Niekerk (1854 to 5 August 1889)

Both brothers were born in Weltevrede, Alexandria, Cape Colony, South Africa.

Alexandria is a small farming town in the Eastern Cape of South Africa and was most likely established by the Dutch colonial government in the late 18th century but was named Alexandria in 1856 after Reverend Alexander Smith.

During the Frontier Wars (1877 to 1879) the town raised a unit called the “Alexandria Mounted Rangers” that were engaged against the Gaikas, Galekas and other tribes; a total of 9 Holtzhausen family members were engaged and it’s believed that their father Johan Andreas Holtzhausen was one of them and awarded the SAGS medal with clasps 1877-1878.

It’s not known when the Holtzhausen family left for the Transvaal but it was sometime after the death of their mother in 1889.

Holgatsfontein Farm, Nigel

The family commenced farming at Holgatsfontein Farm near Nigel and it was here that the family found themselves at the outbreak of the war.



Second Anglo Boer War

At the start of the war they both joined the Germiston Commando and served under Commandant Pieter Cornelius van Niekerk.
 
Together they fought at the following battles:

1. Modderspruit (Natal) – 30 October 1899
aka: Lombard's Kop / Farquhar's Farm

2. Platrand (Natal) – 6 January 1900

Following this the brothers were transferred to the Orange Free State in an attempt to stop the advance to/from Bloemfontein.

Helgard was at the following battles:

3. Modderrivier (OVS)

4. Brandford (OVS) – 29 March 1900
aka: Battle of Karee Siding, GSW to left knee

Jacobus was at the following battles:

5. Vet Rivier (OVS) – 5 May 1900
assumed Zand River as well – 10 May 1900



They fought in the guerrilla phase of the war until they were captured together at Bosmanshoek on 13 December 1901 after which they were both sent to St Helena as Prisoners of War; they were both released in 1902.

Immediate Family

Following the war Helgard married Maria Susanna Jansen van Rensburg in 1911 and had 2 children together (Emarentia & Jan Andries). He would join the league of veterans and retire with a military pension.

Jacobus never married and would continue to work the land as a general farmer (Boer).

Helgards Records:





Jacobus Records:



POW Records:

A very interesting read, Sturgy. It is amazing that these two have stayed together after all these years.

Hi David,

Yes very fortunate; I think the reason for it was that Jacobus passed away without any family (never married) and the medal transferred to Helgards family.

Regards,
Sturgy