TOPIC:

The Treaty of Vereeniging ended the 2nd Anglo-Boer War. It was signed by the British government and the Boer republics on 31 May 1902 and is named for the town in the Transvaal where negotiations were undertaken. The signing itself took place in Pretoria.

The treaty was signed by:
1) Lord Milner (British High Commissioner) and Field Marshal Horatio Herbert Kitchener for Britain
2) Louis Botha, FW Reitz, JH de la Ray, SW Burger, JC Krogh,,and LJ Meyer for the Transvaal
3) JBM Hertzog, CR de Wet, WCJ Brebner, and CH Oliver for the Orange Free State.

They signed their names as below. I’ve added a D where they were awarded the Dekoratie voor Trouwe Dienst (DTD) and a U for the Union Medal (awarded exactly 8 years later when the Union of South Africa was formed).

Kitchener of Khartoum
Milner

SW Burger U
FW Reitz U
Louis Botha D U
JH de la Rey D U
LJ Meyer D
JC Krogh U

CH de Wet U
JBM Hertzog U
WJC Brebner U
CH Olivier

I’m curious as to why not all the Boer leaders received the DTD. Some were political (such as Reitz and Krogh) not military leaders and the award was for officers. Burgher however started as a fighting Commandant General (and was at Spionkop) before taking on a more political role. The DTD was only announced in late 1920 by which time Botha (1919), Burgher (1918) and de la Ray (1914) were dead – so one assumes family of de la Rey and Botha applied but not that of Burger? Why did Hertzog not apply? And I’m not even sure who Brebner and Oliver were. I think Brebner was Minister for Education for the Orange Free State until war broke out and was Acting Government Secretary at the time the treaty was signed. Is CH Olivier Kommandant CHH Olivier who was awarded the DTD? Any help on this appreciated.

Although Smuts was heavily involved in drafting the treaty he was not a signatory. Kitchener and Milner had long since departed South Africa by 1910. Kitchener in 1902 for India (as Commander-in-Chief) and Milner in 1905 for London (and business).
As an aside there were 20 DTD / Union medal combinations. And – I’ve seen on a post - 40 DSO (WW1) and DTD combinations. Anyone know how many DTD / DSO / Union medal combinations exist?

Jon,

That is very interesting research.

I haven't seen any figures on the numbers of DTD/DSO/Union Medal combinations. Do you think there are any?

Have you seen a definitive list of the DSO/DTD combinations?

With thanks
David

David,

I've not seen the DTD / DSO list but would bet money on Henk Loots having it. Do you have any influence you can bring to bear?

Rgds,
Jon