This Jack Borrius was an interesting man. I have been researching his father Jan (I am a philatelist not a historian). The elder was a printer at Potchefstroom and is well known to Transvaal Philatelists for being the third printer of Transvaal postage stamps after Adolph Otto in Germany and MJ Viljoen at Pretoria. The junior Borrius was born in 1863 and was named John Phillip (Jack). He served under Piet Cronje during ther War of Independence and was on Cronje's staff for a short while. Borrius jnr was involved in stopping the auction of Piet "Bontperde" Bezuidenhot's wagon at Potchefstroom in 1880, an incident that ignited the War of Independence. During the ABW Borrius initially served with Danie Theron's scouts and then was under Smuts during the invasion of the Cape. Borrius is mentioned in two books on the ABW: Commando by Denys Reitz ( he is described as short and powerfully built) and Ruitervuur by Scheepers Schoeman. Borrius was the leader of the Rijk Sectie as Reitz called them (those who owned both clothes and shoes). He once saved Reitz's life by shooting Lt R B Sheridan through the head (described in Commando). At Kirkwood, Borrius lost his left eye and right hand from gunshot wounds and suffered terribly but amazingly stayed on commando and made a full recovery. He was awarded the DTD. Borrius went on to serve in German West Africa under Botha (captued by the Germans for a short period) during WWI and under Smuts again during the East Africa campaign. He died in Johannesburg in 1937.
Interestingly old man Borius's mother in law owned the farm Blyvooruitzight which in 1937 became the eponymous gold mine and is still the deepest mine in the world at some 3.84 km.
lenniegouws.co.za/
Lennie's site has an image of both Borriuses.
