TOPIC:

Served: Pretoria.

From City Coins #71, November 2020.

ABO (Burger J.A. Duvenage)

Jan Duvenhage served in the Pretoria Commando under Field Cornet Opperman and General Erasmus. On his Vorm “B” application he specifically mentioned being present at the Vaalkop action, in addition to Spion Kop and Silkaatsnek (11 July 1900). He was taken prisoner later in the war on 3 January 1902 near Amsterdam (Eastern Transvaal) in mopping-up operations:

“The New Year (1902) found Bruce Hamilton busy amongst the demoralised knots of Boers who crept along the riverbeds seeking a way of escape from the narrowing space between the British columns and the Swazi border. On January 1st twenty-two of these were run down on the banks of the Umtali River, north of Amsterdam. Sixty-nine more, including Commandant Erasmus, fell victims on the 3rd...”
Official History, Grant, Vol IV, p377.

He was sent to India as PoW No 27910 and returned home approximately October 1902.