TOPIC:

Served: Wolmaranstad. Received the Wound Ribbon (Lint voor Verwonding).

* Based on when the medal was issued and suspender type the medal shown above can be attributed to 2 Burgers, namely:

• DJ Swanepeol of the Johannesburg Politie (incl wound ribbon)
www.angloboerwar.com/forum/surname-s/213...oel-d-j-burger#95960
• DJ Swanepoel of the Wolmaransstad Commando (incl wound ribbon)

BIRTH: 31 January 1878
Potchefstroom, Transvaal, South Africa

DEATH: Unknown

Parents

Father: David Jacobus Swanepoel (1846-1906)
Mother: Martha Maria Fouche (1846-1912)

David was the 4th eldest of 7 children.
 
2nd Anglo Boer War

At the outbreak of the war in South Africa in October 1899 David Swanepoel joined the Wolmaransstad Commando and served under Commandant Marthinis Jacob Jansen (M.J.J.) van Rensburg & Veldkornet J. Hofman.

www.angloboerwar.com/forum/surname-v/230...ob-jansen-commandant
 
According to his “Vorm B” DJ Swanepoel served at the following notable battles/actions:




• Rooilaagte (Battle of Graspan / Enslin 25 Nov 1899)
• Magersfortein (11 December 1899)
• Tweerivier (Modder River 28/29 Nov 1899)
• Lichtenburg where wounded (3 March 1901)
• Basfontein, Magaliesburg (14 August 1901)
• Rooiwal (11 April 1902)

Lichtenburg (3 March 1901)

Ref: samilitaryhistory.org/vol141sw.html



The town of Lichtenburg and the district surrounding it furnished two Boer commandos, under Commandant H C W Vermaas and Commandant J G Celliers respectively. The town was occupied by the British for a few days in June 1900 and then on a permanent basis from late November 1900. It became an important supply depot and the British garrison of 620 men comprised infantry, artillery and Yeomanry, specifically the 10th Company, 3rd Battalion, IY, and two companies of Paget's Horse, or the 19th Battalion, IY.

On 3 March 1901, Lichtenburg was attacked in a three-pronged assault on the town by an estimated 300 Boers. From the west, Commandant Vermaas assailed the fortified British redoubt in the market square, while the second and third attacks from the east and west were directed against the British pickets on the edge of the town. After facing determined resistance for 24 hours, the Boers were forced to withdraw, General de la Rey coming to the assistance of Vermaas.

An Imperial Yeomanryman recounts the action as the Boers rushed the British trenches: 'How those pickets did fight! The picket trenches never contained more than 7 men, and in one trench only two were left, the others being killed or wounded. When relief arrived a sergeant was just saying to one comrade "Fix bayonets, we'll keep the ... back".' The defenders lost 21 men killed and died of wounds (two of them Yeomanrymen), and 24 wounded. The Boers lost fourteen men killed and forty wounded.



Basfontein, Magaliesburg (14 August 1901)

Ref: www.angloboerwar.com/images/pdf/maurice03-12.pdf
SCOURING THE MAGALIESBERG—COLONELS ALLENBY AND KEKEWICH

We left Colonel Allcnby in the occupation of Brecdt's Nek, which the Boers had evacuated.

On the 7th of August a movement was made to obtain possession of the Damhoek and Pampoen Kraal Passes. At the latter place a gang of forty Boers was effectively tackled by the Volunteer Service Company and the King's Own Scottish Borderers under MajorMayne.

The whole bunch was most skilfully surrounded and secured, and with them Mr. F. Wolmarans, chairman of the late Volksraad. The passes were occupied, and from the loth to the 12th of August stray Boers were unearthed by Colonel Allenby in the southern slopes of the Magaliesberg. between Nooitgedacht and Grobelaar's Pass.

Nine Boers were brought in, fourteen rifles, some waggons, carts, and dynamite. About this time Major Butler (in command of the Carabineers) was detached from Colonel Allenby's column to co-operate with General Gilbert Hamilton, who had been engaging in the incessant harrying of Liebenberg's commando and other raiders east of Lichtenburg.

Marching by night and by day, he had hunted and tracked, worried and pursued, but had never succeeded in bringing the enemy to open light. Now, on his return to Venterdorp on 11th, he arranged, with the assistance of Major Butler's men from the north, for a simultaneous attack upon Koperfontein and Basfontein.

The attack was splendidly managed, and on the morning of the 14th, after some vigorous fighting, in which Lieutenant Till (6th Dragoon Guards) and one man lost their lives and 5 men were wounded, 10 prisoners, 27 waggons, and 100 cattle were captured. Three Boers were killed. Major Butler and the Carabineers rejoined Colonel Allenby at Damhoek, while General Hamilton reconnoitred towards Tafel Kojj and made more prisoners.

Rooiwal (11 April 1902)

Was the last set piece battle of the South African War and is known by both names – the British Times referring to it as Roodewal, but the actual farm’s name was Rooiwal, which was 20 km south-west of Delareyville.

For a detailed account of the battle refer to the following post:
www.angloboerwar.com/forum/6-places/30480-rooiwal

After the War:

Following the end of the 2nd Anglo Boer War DJ Swanepoel married Jacoba Petronella Christina Jansen van Rensburg on the 12th January 1903 in Wolmaransstad Transvaal and had 3 children together.