TOPIC:

The 1914/1915 Rebellion, The Third Boer War

The Anglo Boer War was ended by the Peace of Vereeniging signed in May 1902. What few had expected at the time is that just 8 years later much of the control over South Africa’s internal affairs was back in the hands of the Boers. The country was still reeling from the devastating effects of the war when in 1914 another war broke out in Europe between the armed forces of the so-called Central Powers (Germany, Austro Hungarians, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire) and those of the Entente Powers (British Empire, France, Russia and later Italy and the USA). South Africa, since 1910 under a government lead by Louis Botha was a more or less reluctant member of the British Empire, and thus nominally in the latter’s camp.

Perhaps incited by the fact that the Dutch stayed neutral in the European conflict, a significant minority of Boers felt that South Africa should not take up arms against Germany as that country been supportive of the Boer cause during Anglo Boer War. Some of the more militant representatives of this minority also regarded a war in Europe as an excellent opportunity to remove South Africa from British rule whilst the forces of England and other Commonwealth countries would be occupied elsewhere. Minority or not, the Rebels as they became known, counted among them important and highly influential ABW personalities such as Christiaan de Wet, Koos DelaRey, Barry Hertzog, former OVS President Steyn, Manie Manitz, Christiaan Beyers, Jan Kemp and others including the fascinatingly weird “Siener” van Rensburg. (This latter man merits a thread of his own). Botha and his righthand man Jannie Smuts, representing the political views of the majority of South Africans, were well aware of the dangers that military support for the British entailed and realized they had to tread very carefully if they wanted to keep the county united.

Botha might have been successful in his efforts to contain the Rebels’ ambitions in a peaceful way if it were not for the occurrence of two events. This first was the death of the Boer War hero General Koos DelaRey. DelaRey, with former General Beyers on his way to address a meeting of “Disgruntled Burgers” was killed by a police bullet on the 15th of September 1914. Although this death was probably accidental, the Rebels were convinced it concerned a cold-blooded political assassination. The second event was the British “request” to the South African Government to move against South West Africa, a territory under German control that had provided a safe haven for Cape Rebels escaping court martial and Bitter-Einders who had refused to sign an Oath of Alliance to a British Monarch. When Botha gave the order to do so, a number of high-ranking officers in the Union Defence Force (or UDF, the new name for South Africa’s armed forces) flatly refused to carry it out and joined the Rebels, sometimes with most of the troops under their command. The ensuing conflict, which became known as the 1914/1915 Rebellion, the Maritz Rebellion or the Third Boer war, pitted 11.500 Rebels (about 2/3rds from the Free State) against 32.000 Union troops. (Significantly, no imperial Troops were engaged by the Union, this in an effort to keep the support for the Rebels to a minimum)

Without going into detail about the battles that were fought during that war, the outcome of the conflict was a relatively swift victory for the better organized and -equipped UDF. In total 322 Boers died in the conflict (132 Union troops and 190 Rebels) with a further 567 men wounded, 325 of which were Rebels.

Notwithstanding that in order to restore unity in the country Botha and Smuts (and others) made every effort to show clemency to the captured Rebels. The conflict nonetheless left deep scars in the Afrikaner community, regardless of its limited duration and scale. Even now, more than a hundred years later, some of the Rebels who perished during the conflict are revered as martyrs and there is still a lingering sentiment among some Free State Afrikaners that the Boer cause was betrayed by Botha and Smuts. Others are of the opinion that their decisive actions at the time, and the subsequent conciliatory attitude towards the Rebels, saved the Union and eventually allowed for South Africa to become independent from Britain.

Over this and the following posts, I will show some items relating to this conflict and hope that other members will be able to contribute as well.

The first item is an interesting letter sent by Louis Botha just a few days after DelaRey’s funeral to his friend F.E.T. Krause (see short Bio of the man below). Botha is clearly worried about the fallout of DelaRey’s death under murky circumstances, and is frantically trying to calm the situation. This letter originally had an attachment in the form of a copy of a letter Botha had sent to various members of the Volksraad regarding the matter but that attachment is no longer there. Interestingly, Krause was close to many of the Rebels (notably Barry Hertzog) and defended General De Wet when the latter was in court for his role in the 1914/1915 Rebellion.

Botha writes on September 22, 1914 on his Prime Minister office on Pretoria.



Dear Friend

Many thanks for your letter of the 21st instant. I am busy to the extent that I am not in a position to write to you extensively and thought it best to send you, just for your information, a copy of the letter I addressed to various Members of Parliament.
It is not true that the funeral of the late General DelaRey did not proceed peacefully. I do believe that some irresponsible persons said some objectionable things, but it was not more than that ,and on the whole, the sad occasion proceeded as it should have.
Many thanks again for your words. I hope to see you again sometime in the near future.
Yours, (signed) Louis Botha.




F.E.T. (Frederick Edward Trangott) Krause (born 1868) was an important South African personality before, during and after the Boer War. Of German origin, Krause studied law in Holland at the same time as Jacob de Villiers and Barry Hertzog. Krause was assistant Public Prosecutor in the Transvaal at the time of the trial of the Jameson Raiders. He was a Special Commandant during the Boer War and notably responsible for saving the gold mines from destruction when Roberts’ troops converged on Johannesburg. Jailed in 1902 in the UK for his role in the so called Broeksma /Douglas Foster affair (Krause had written to Broeksma to have the staunch anti-Boer Douglas-Foster eliminated, a letter that fell into the hands of the British). Returning to South Africa after the war, Krause re-entered the legal profession (against the wishes of Alfred Milner who called him a Political Fire-eater) and became politically active a.o. as the Volksraad member for Vrededorp, a Johannesburg district. Krause presided over the Free State district of the South African High Court from 1933 to 1938 and remained active in a legal capacity well into his 70’s. Fred Krause died in 1959.

Everhard,

Many thanks for your summery of an aspect of South African history I know pitifully little about.
Personally, I have little to offer, but these two photographs, which have recently undergone Tinus le Roux’s colourisation process, show Maritz, Kemp and de Wet at this time.

Both photographs courtesy of Tinus le Roux.
















This postcard, depicting Broeksma, relates to your short Krause biography. I include a bit of research I did into this, which I previously posted on the Postcards thread.

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CORNELIS BROEKSMA, held en martelaar voor de barmhartigheid, 30 Sept. 1901 door Englischen gefusileerd, omdat hij niet zweg van de wreede ellende in de vrouwenkampen.



Sheffield Evening Telegraph, 16th September 1901

The trial of Mr Broeksma, a Hollander, formerly Public Prosecutor at Johannesburg, on charges of breaking the oath of neutrality and treason, was begun at Johannesburg on Thursday. It excites great intertest. The evidence consists entirely of documents found in the prisoner’s house, including correspondence with Dr Krause, now under remand in London.


Western Morning News, 16th September 1901

THE TRIAL OF MR BROEKSMA.

JOHANNESBURG, Thursday [12 Sept].

The trial of Mr Broeksma commenced today before a special military court composed of Colonel Ball and Majors McLeod and Harkness. The court was thronged, the trial exciting more interest than any other has done in Johannesburg since the sensational Valtheim case. The defence raised an objection to the legality of the constitution of the Court, but this was overruled.

The prisoner was charged on four counts, namely, breaking the oath of neutrality, treachery, high treason, and inciting to break the oath of neutrality. He pleaded not guilty.

The evidence proved that the police on searching the house of the prisoner found pamphlets and nearly 30 documents comprising copies of letters to Mt Steyn, Mr Reitz, and Dr Williamson, addressed to the care of the American Consul at The Hague; also “A warning to our leaders and burghers on commando”, and a letter to “His Honour Mr Kruger, President of the South African Republic, at present on leave in Europe”.

Other letters were produced purporting to come from Dr Krause in London to the prisoner, and one from the prisoner to Dr Krause, and also an envelope addressed to Charles Brooks (supposed to be the prisoner’s alias), care of Mr Garden, American Consul at Johannesburg. The writing on this envelope is believed to be that of Dr Krause.

The reading of the pamphlet occupied an hour. It was dedicated to Mr Steyn, Generals Botha and De Wet, and all true Afrikanders, and inveighed against “Roberts the Englishman, Chamberlain the wretch, and all their clique”, and “Milner and all other jingoes”. The document, which is somewhat prolix, draws a comparison between the present war and the American War if Independence. The rest of the papers consist of correspondence and documents, including letters to Dr Williamson, care of the American Consul at The Hague, and a man named Dettora, both of whom appeared to have acted as intermediaries in passing on correspondence to Dr Krause, who apparently was constantly writing to Mr Kruger, Mr Broeksma, and others. The warning to the leaders and burghers on commando stated that £2,000 had been placed on their heads by the British.

Profound sensation was caused in the Court when a typewritten document was read signed “Louis Botha”, and purporting to be a proclamation to the officers of the two Republics desiring them not to be uneasy over Lord Kitchener’s proclamation, and adding that after deliberation among the fighting generals it had been decided that after September 15th Lord Kitchener, his staff, and all British officers should be declared outlaws, and all burghers, whether in the Cape Colony, Natal, the Free State, of the South African Republic, were ordered to kill by shooting any armed Englishman whom they encountered.

Another letter, dated from London in March last, and signed “F.K.” (the initials of Dr Krouse), mentions the writer’s scorn of the arrogance and pride of the British, stigmatises Lord Milner as “such a scoundrel”, and concludes by saying “There will be a better Ireland in South Africa after the war”. In a further letter, dated June 10th, the writer mentioned that he had been given a brief in the case of Beit versus Markham – “of course, for the defendant”. “F.K.” also informed “Brooks” that he had sent the bottles of medicine to Dr Williamson without a single one having been opened. It is inferred that these bottles contained correspondence.

Several witnesses followed, and a printer named Vankhy gave evidence of the printing of 2,000 of the pamphlets to the order of the prisoner for £33.

The prisoner appears to realise the seriousness of his position, and looks wretchedly ill and much frightened. Intense interest is taken in the trial by the Johannesburgers.


Evening Mail, 18th September 1901

BRUSSELS, Sept. 16.

In regard to the evidence given in the proceedings on the 12th inst. in Mr Broeksma’s trial at Johannesburg, in which it was stated that letters to and from Mr Krause had passed through the American Consul at The Hague, a positive contradiction of the statement is given by the American Legation at The Hague, which points out that there is no American Consulate there. It is added that no such person as Dr Williamson is known at The Hague.


Langport & Somerton Herald, 21st September 1901

THE TRIAL OF BROEKSMA.

Johannesburg, Sunday [15 Sept].

The court was again crowded on the concluding day of the trial of Mr Broeksma, the interest in the case being unflagging in consequence of the number of people of note mentioned in connection with it. The Crown Prosecutor’s speech was listened to with the closest attention. He contended that it proved that the prisoner conspired with Dr Krause, now in custody in London, in order to forward treacherous documents from Leyds and other Boer authorities in Europe to the enemy in the field; that he was in treacherous communication with Kruger, Reitz, Krause and Mr Steyn; that he was the author of published and circulated an inflammatory pamphlet inciting Africanders to continue their resistance to His Majesty’s forces; that he advised burghers who had surrendered to break their parole obligations; that he stigmatised the English as barbarians, scoundrels, and murderers of women and children; that he characterised the war as low and dirty; and that he assumed the aliases of Charles Brooks and Captain Green, and under those names received treacherous letters from Leyds and others, and carried on a treasonable correspondence since June, 1900, after accepting out leniency and being allowed to remain at large on taking a simple oath of neutrality. Several of the documents put in against the prisoner referred to Leyds as “L”, and the defence maintained that the prosecution had no right to assume that the letter meant Leyds. Objection was also taken to a military court trying a civilian. Mr Crots delivered a long speech for the defence, arguing strenuously in favour of the prisoner’s innocence. The case will now be laid before Lord Kitchener.


Yorkshire Post, 3rd October 1901

EXECUTION OF MR BROEKSMA.

Johannesburg, Monday [30 Sept].

Yesterday Mr Broeksma was informed that sentence of death had been pronounced against him. He broke down on hearing the announcement, but at 5.45 this morning, when he was told that the sentence was to be carried out immediately, he received the news calmly. The chaplain offered spiritual consolation, and the prisoner was then led out and shot. Death was instantaneous. The burial took place at 7.30 this evening.


Manchester Courier, 12th October 1901

EXECUTION OF BROEKSMA.

THREATENED REPRISALS BY BOTHA.

The Brussels correspondent of the “Morning Post” understands, on good authority, that Botha has informed Lord Kitchener that he proposes to make reprisals for the execution of Broeksma. Botha, it is said, had a long conference with De Wet and Steyn recently on the Natal frontier.



..

Manie Maritz
The 1914/1915 Rebellion was also called the Maritz Rebellion for the prominent role Lt-Col Salmon Gerhardus (“Manie” short for “Mannetje”) Maritz played. Maritz, who was head of a commando of Union forces on the border of German South-West Africa, allied himself with the Germans. On October 9, 1914 he issued a proclamation on behalf of a provisional government that stated that "the former South African Republic and Orange Free State as well as the Cape Province and Natal are proclaimed free from British control and independent, and every White inhabitant of the mentioned areas, of whatever nationality, are hereby called upon to take their weapons in their hands and realize the long-cherished ideal of a Free and Independent South Africa." It was announced that Generals Beyers, de Wet, Maritz, Kemp and Bezuidenhout were to be the first leaders of this provisional government. Maritz's forces (940 strong) occupied Keimoes in the Upington area. The Lydenburg commando under General De Wet took possession of the town of Heilbron, held up a train and captured government stores and ammunition. Some of the prominent citizens of the area joined him, and by the end of the week he had a force of 3,000 men. Beyers also gathered a force in the Magaliesberg; in all, about 12,000 rebels rallied to the cause. Meanwhile, General Louis Botha had around 32,000 troops to counter the rebels, of which about 20,000 were Afrikaners.
The government declared martial law on 12 October 1914, and forces loyal to the government under the command of General Louis Botha and Jan Smuts proceeded to suppress the rebellion. General Maritz was defeated on 24 October and took refuge with the Germans. The Beyers commando was attacked and dispersed at Commissioners Drift on 28 October, after which Beyers joined forces with Kemp, but drowned in the Vaal River on 8 December. General de Wet was captured in Bechuanaland on 1 December 1914, with 52 others on a farm called Waterbury. His remark when captured was: "Thank God it was not an Englishman who captured me after all". General Kemp, having taken his commando across the Kalahari desert, losing 300 out of 800 men and most of their horses on the 1,100 kilometre month-long trek, joined Maritz in German South-West Africa, but returned after about a week and surrendered on 4 February 1915.
After the Rebellion had failed, Maritz spent 6 months in a Jail in Angola. He stayed in that country until 1916 after which he moved to Europe and resided in Spain and Portugal until 1920. Maritz must have returned to South Africa as he was convicted in 1923 for High Treason and convicted to three years in prison but was released after 3 months. In the 1930’s he became enamored by the ideas of National Socialism and established in 1940 the Anti-Parlementarian Volkspartij and later Die Boerenasie. He published a book My Lewe en Stewe (my life and ambitions) in which he set out his world views. Maritz died aged 64 on December 20, 1940, in a car crash which ironically occurred right in front of the Pretoria prison. Although his legacy is somewhat overshadowed by his role in the Rebellion and his antisemitism (stemming predominantly from the Randlords’ role leading up to the Boer War), Maritz -both physically and mentally strong, courageous and utterly ruthless- was without doubt one of the most striking Boer personalities of the Anglo Boer War.
(Sources: Wikipedia/Die Boere Offisiere/Lewe en Strewe)
The item below is a pom pom shell which apparently was fired during the conflict in the Keimos area where Maritz’ forces were laagered. I do not know whether the bullet part that came with it is correct for this type of shell.


Memento of Maritz’s Treachery, Keimos. Oct 1914

When I visited Ladysmith in 1978 I was given a deactivated pom-pom shell which had belonged to the grandfather of the person I was staying with. He had always assumed that it was from the ABW, but these "C/97.98" marked shells were actually from German South West Africa, the majority having been captured in 1915.

MC wrote to me about these some time back:

The "pom-pom" shell Rob posted is actually from the German version used in GSWA during the Herero Campaign and the start of WW1.
In the German Imperial Army the Pom-pom was known as the 3,7-cm Machinenkanone M97 and was manufactured under license at Krupp and DWM. The shells for these were normally marked 97 or C/97.98.
The M and crown is the Kaiserliche Marine (German Imperial Navy) arsenal acceptance stamp, the small three flame grenade is an indication that the ammunition was made for the German Imperial Army. The XII is the month of manufacture and the 97 the year (ie, December 1897). These shells also had the removable primer socket with three point screw mechanism.
Many of these unfired shells were captured in 1915 at the German surrender at Khorab and other places and several can still be found in SA. Unfortunately they are almost always advertised and sold as Boer War pom-pom shells. There are still quote a few, including at least one gun in Lake Otjikoto.

The ones I have seen have projectiles like this (previously posted by Rob). Your example has been fired, so the shell head must have been added.




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Thank you EFV and Neville, slightly off-topic, Jopie Fourie, a scout and dispatch rider during the ABO, and later a officer in the Union Defence Force. After the Rebellion was put down, Fourie was the only rebel to receive a death sentence, which earned Smuts a constant stream of hate mail, for many years after. In the photo of General Joubert at Newcastle, Fourie (with a shaved head) is standing to Joubert's right.

On the contrary Tunguska, Jopie Fourie is not off topic. As you wrote he was the only man executed after the Rebellion and is still regarded a martyr by many Afrikaners. Hereunder is a poignant poem that was published and distributed after his death. The translation (mine, not perfect) is printed below it.


The Death of Kommandant Jopie Fourie
(In the manner of Psalm 134)

Who wants to hear a new song about how Jopie Fourie lost his life?

He was already in Jail, peaceful in the thought he was innocent.
“Wake up, Fourie, you slept enough, early tomorrow you must die.
“Do I have to die? Well, I am prepared as one who is innocent has no fear!
My only vice is that I stayed faithful to everything I always fought for.
My death will only prove my love for my people and my country.
The bailiff came when the first light entered the cell “Your time is up”
O God, I don’t know if I can handle this alone, please help me to the end!
He then emerged fearlessly from his cell rejuvenated with a God given strength.
His last wish: Don’t shoot me in the face! My large Afrikander heart provides enough space for your lead!
A blindfold was wound around his eyes, he sat down and sang with force:
“Our earthly friends leave us once we enter the valley of Death, but he, our best friend in need, accompanies us beyond our death and the grave!
He sang, he fell silent.
The deadly shot rang out.
He died a hero,
May God have his soul.