Veld Cornet Coenraad Frederik Meyer., Utrecht Commando

An officer who already got some attention on this site is Assistent Veld Cornet C.F. Meyer. He is revisited in this thread because he was a rather prolific user of Gouvernement’s Noten in payment for goods whilst on commando.

Coenraad Meyer was born on the 20th of December 1869 in Utrecht. He was the son (third of four children) of Coenraad Frederick (different spelling) Meyer and Cecilia Johanna Marais. Coenraad joined the Utrecht Commando as Assistant Veld Cornet of Wijk (Ward) III on 20 September 1899, a full three weeks before Kruger’s Ultimatum to the British lapsed.

Assistent Veld Cornet Meyer moved with the Utrecht commando into Natal and saw action at at Dundee (Talana), Ladysmith and other battles including at Helpmekaar, 13 May, 1900 before crossing back over the Buffalo river back into the Transvaal. The Utrecht commando was thereafter involved in many battles in the South Eastern Transvaal, first in an effort to keep the Rooineks out, thereafter mostly in Guerilla-style raids on enemy occupied towns, garrisons and columns. At the battle at Kambula on September 10, 1900, Coenraad was hit in the chest by one of the reputedly 66.000 bullets fired by the enemy. The bullet pierced his lungs for which he was successfully treated by a “Dr. Tielman.” (Tielman could have been a Christian name.) After recovery, Meyer rejoined the Utrecht commando and participated in Generaal Louis Botha’s ill-fated second expedition into Natal in September and October 1901. Coenraad Meyer thus took part in two famous actions: Spieshoek (Blood River Poort: 17 Sept 1901) and Taleni (Fort Itala: 26 Sept 1901). Meyer also mentioned actions at Ingogo, Louwsburg and Rooivoetpad (The only place of that name is located in the Cape, which is at odds with the fact that all other battles he participated in took place in the Eastern Transvaal and Natal. Perhaps he meant “Rooikoppies” a place of interest during Botha’s second expedition into Natal). According to information on this site posted by David Biggins, Coenraad Meyer was the first Boer Officer to arrive on the horrific scene at Holkrans (6 May 1902) where 56 Boers were butchered by the Zulus under the Native Chief Sikobobo. Meyer was a "Bittereinder' and was one of the 570 Burgers and officers who surrendered to Major-General Bruce Hamilton at Knight’s Farm near Utrecht on 13 June 1902.

Coenraad Meyer served throughout the war under various Commanders. On his application forms he notes Kommandant Barend Breytenbach, Kommandant B.C. Hattingh, Kommandant P.J. Truter and Kommandant (later Veg-Generaal) Cheere Emmett. On the Bloemfontein Museum website Meyer’s last commander was listed as Generaal Marthinus Myburgh. Myburgh had taken over from Emmett after the latter was captured in March 1902.

Of Meyer’s personal life little information is available other than that in 1888, aged 18, he married Johanna Philippina Labuschagne (1867-1944). In 1921, at the time of applying for his ABO/DTD medals and Lint voor Wonden, Meyer lived in or near Paulpietersburg. Generaal Cheere Emmett signed off on his DTD application. Coenraad Meyer passed away in Paulpietersburg in on May 15, 1958.

Coenraad Meyer’s application for the Lint voor Wonden


Map of the area where Coenraad Meyer was mostly active. Ingogo and Itala are outside the area. I could not find Louwsburg on the Jeppe Map but from the 1920’s a Louwsburg township is located on the farm Toggevonden (Toch Gevonden 33). Bloodriver Poort/Spieshoek are also not indicated on the map and the approximate position is based on the location of the monument commemorating the battle. “Knight’s farm” does not figure either but Knight may refer to the name of the owner.


Coenraad Meyer annotated the Gouvernement’s Noten that he used for payment for goods with either “UItgegeven” or “UItgegeef” voor Commando Dienst - Issued for Military purpose. He signs off with Velt or Veld Cornet, Utrecht. This Noot is printed on thin, low quality paper by Van den Burg & Jorissen in Pietersburg in the early months of 1901. Perhaps not mother’s prettiest but a hell of a lot more interesting to the Boer War collector than her virgin sisters. This particular Noot was presented to the CJC in a claim for compensation and demonetized by a double-punch cancel.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (6) Cape Colony, Talana, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal (4557 Pte. W. McCarthy, Rl. Dublin Fus:);
[ KSA (2) ]

W. McCarthy attested into the Royal Dublin Fusiliers and served in South Africa with the 2nd Battalion during the Boer War. He received a Gun Shot Wound to his back on 23 February 1900, during the action at Hart’s Hill, Tugela Heights.

QSA (6). Bonhams June 1997. DNW June 2007 £330. Liverpool October 2008 £570.

Picture courtesy of Aubrey's

QSA (5) Talana, Defence of Ladysmith, Orange Free State, Transvaal, Laing's Nek (6823 Dvr. A. Carter, 67th Bty. R.F.A.);
KSA (2) (6823 Dvr. A. Carter, R.F.A.).

Bosley’s 1994.

Picture courtesy of Aubrey's

IGS 1895 (3) Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Samana 1897, Tirah 1897-98 (Captn N. Marder R.A.M.C.);
QSA (4) Talana, Defence of Ladysmith, Orange Free State, South Africa 1901 (Capt. N. Marder R.A.M.C.).

Born Lyme, Dorset, 11 May 1864. Surgeon Lieutenant 27 Jul 1892. Surgeon Captain 27 Jul 1895. He served in the operations on NW Frontier of India, 1897-8. Operation on the Samana and with Tirah Expeditionary Force. Medal with 3 clasps. Boer War, 1899-1901. Operations in Natal, 1899, including action at Talana. Defence of Ladysmith. Operations in Natal Mar to Jun 00. Operations in Orange River Colony Aug to Nov 00. Major 27 Jul 1904. Retired 27 Jul 1912.

He died in Exeter 10 Jul 1914.

IGS (3) PF 97-98 Samana 97 Tirah 97-98, QSA (4). Dixon July 1993 £300.

Picture courtesy of Spink

QSA (4) Talana, Defence of Ladysmith, Laing's Nek, Belfast (4224 Pte. W. Brown, 1:Leic:Regt);
KSA (2) (4224 Pte. W. Brown. Leicester: Regt.)

Walter Brown was born at St Margarets, Leicester, Leicestershire in 1876 and attested at Leicester on 19 October 1894. He initially served at home from 19 October 1894 before being posted to the 1st Battalion in South Africa on 16 May 1896.

The Battalion was present at Talana in 1899 when the Anglo-Boer War began. They were in reserve for the Battle of Talana but saw heavy action at the Battle of Ladysmith on 30 October. They were on station throughout the siege and were later in on the action at the Battle of Belfast.

Returning Home on 29 October 1900 he was posted to the Army Reserve on 7 November 1902. He remained with them until he was finally discharged on 18 October 1906.

Theo Meyer, Piet Retief



Theodor Christian Gotthard Meyer was born on 23 October 1863 (some sources state 1862), in Umpumulo, Natal, South Africa out of the marriage between Friedrich Albrecht Meyer and Johanna Amalie Dollenberg. On May 10, 1889 Theodor married Henriette Anna Magdalene Volker, in Vryheid and together they had 4 sons and 5 daughters. The couple lived at the farm Amalienruh in the Luneburg area of the Piet Retief District. (A place I have not been able to locate) When war broke out in October 1899, Christian joined with the rank of Corporal the Piet Retief commando that fell under the operational command of Asst. Kommandant-Generaal General Lukas Meyer (later Christian Botha, both of the Swazieland commando). Meyer crossed with his commando the Natal border and fought in the battles of Talana, Dundee, Ladysmith, Spionkop and many others thereafter. Theodor Meyer was elected Veld Cornet after his elder brother Friedrich was taken prisoner at the end of February 1901, and 3 months later, on June 6, 1901, was elected Kommandant of the Piet Retief commando. This latter rank was later approved and confirmed by the ZAR Government under acting State President Schalk Burger who was camping out somewhere in the North-Eastern Transvaal. Theodor Christian Gotthard Meyer stayed in the field for the entire duration of the war. He fought in most if not all battles the Piet Retief commando was involved in and, miraculously, was never wounded. Theodor applied for -and was awarded- both the ABO and DTD medals. It appears that after the war he returned to the farm Amalienruh (“Post office Dunkolsdrift”) and lived to the ripe old age of 89. Theodor died on July 26, 1952 in Braunschweig, Natal and was laid to rest there.

Theodor Meyer seems to have been a prolific user of Gouvernement’s Noten in payment for goods and services but apparently only from the time he became Kommandant of the Piet Retief Commando in June 1901. He annotated the Noten either with:

“Op eerlijke wijze ontvangen (van)” Received for honest reasons (from)
or,
“Op rechtvaardige wijze ontvangen (van)” Received for righteous reasons (from)

Below a Gouvernement’s Noot for 1 Pond from the Pretoria issue. The Noot was used by Meyer at least 3 months after the Pietersburg issue had become available and that gives some indication of the reluctance of sellers of goods to accept Noten in payment.





As evidenced by the stamp, this particular Noot was presented by the recipient to the Central Judicial Commission (CJC) after the war as part of a claim for compensation. If a claim was honored (“Allowed”), the recipient would have received slightly more than a Shilling for it if he had claimed against the Ex-Burger Compensation Fund or about 8 to 9 Shilling if he claimed against the Protected Burger Fund (British Subjects, hensoppers, joiners). Overall payout on CJC claims lodged by Boers who hadn’t surrendered or joined the enemy was a paltry 4% something that became a great source of bitterness among the conquered volk. Anecdotally, General Louis Botha, whose war losses amounted to more than 20.000 Pond (two million in today’s money) received after a long wait a cheque for 900 Pond. He considered this low pay-out ratio so offensive that he reputedly returned the cheque, un-cashed. Knowing the General’s temperament, the envelope in which he returned the cheque must have contained some explicit suggestions to the CJC commissioner about where he should store it in rolled-up form.

Picture courtesy of Spink

QSA (3) Talana, Defence of Ladysmith, Belfast (4615. Pte. D. Kidd. 18/Hrs.);
[ KSA (2) ]

MID London Gazette 7 May 1901.

D. Kidd was present near Nieu Bethesda when a large Boer commando under Commandant Pieter H Kritzinger occupied the town and began to raid the surrounding area in January 1901. Kidd was seriously wounded, likely in a confrontation with this enemy, at Uitkijk, near Nieu Bethesda on 25 January 1901. He was further promoted and 'mentioned' on 7 May 1901. Also served Transvaal Town Police.

KSA listed on WO100/305p270.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (6) Talana, Defence of Ladysmith, Orange Free State, Transvaal, Laing’s Nek, South Africa 1901, unofficial rivets between fifth and sixth clasps (70885 Bomb: W. Flower 69th. Bty: R.F.A.)

W. Flower served with the 69th Battery, Royal Field Artillery in South Africa during the Boer War, and was twice wounded, firstly at Farquhar’s Farm on 31 October 1899, and secondly (slightly) at Itala on 26 September 1901.

Also served 42nd and 105th RFA.

WO100/142p205, WO100/141p205 and WO100/150p83.

Hammer GBP £320.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (6) Cape Colony, Talana, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal (5938 Pte. G. Fitzsimons, Rl. Dublin Fus:);
[ KSA (2) ]

Provenance
Glendining, April 1971; Spink, March 1996; Dix Noonan Webb, December 2000.

Gerald Fitzsimons was born in Dublin and attested for the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, serving with the 2nd Battalion in South Africa during the Boer War. Discharge, time expired, on 23 November 1908, he subsequently re-enlisted in the Irish Guards on 5 September 1914, but was discharged, unlikely to become an efficient soldier, on 19 September 1914.

Glendining April 1971. Spink March 1996. DNW December 2000 £200.

KSA: WO100/347p309.

Hammer GBP 300.

Picture courtesy of Mowbray's

QSA (5) Talana, Defence of Ladysmith, Orange Free State, Laing’s Nek & Belfast (247 PTE. H. BRACKLEY. K.R.R.C.);
KSA (2) (247 PTE. H. BRACKLEY. K.R.R.C.)

Henry Elmer Brackley, born London 1879, joined the King’s Royal Rifle Corps in London on 6 May 1897. He was in South Africa from 30 April 1898 to 29 Feb 1902.

QSA: WO100/196p11. KSA: WO100/339p135